MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
FRIDAY 28 JUNE 2002
HELD IN ROOM 135 PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Dr IRK Paisley MP MEP (Chairman)
Mr G Savage (Deputy Chairman)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr P J Bradley
Mr B Douglas
Mr D Ford
Mr G Kane
Mr M Murphy
Mr G McHugh
Apologies:
Mr I Paisley Jnr
In attendance:
Mr P Moore
Miss J Adair
Mr S McCann
Mr J McCourt
The Chairman declared the meeting open in public session at 10.06 a.m.
1. Minutes of Proceedings on Friday 21 June 2002
1.1. Resolved: That the draft Minutes of Proceedings for 21 June were approved.
Mr Savage attended the meeting at 10.08 a.m.
2. Matters Arising from the Meeting on 21 June 2002
2.1. Correspondence: Members noted receipt of correspondence by e-mail from the meeting on 21 June 2002.
Mr Armstrong attended the meeting at 10.10 a.m. Mr Ford attended the meeting at 10.11 a.m.
2.2. Stakeholders Forum: Members considered a draft letter to the Minister regarding issues raised during deliberations including members' views on the balance of the Forum in terms of gender and community and the need for farmers to be in the majority.
Resolved: That the letter be issued.
2.3. Review of Education and R&D in Agriculture: Members noted a letter from the Minister extending the deadline for the consultation period on the Review. Members also noted letters from the Committees for Education and Employment and Learning and a submission from the National Union of Students/Union of Students in Ireland.
Resolved: That the Clerk should ascertain whether the response from the Committee for Education and Learning was based on a published report.
Resolved: That a letter be sent to DARD requesting the number of students, including part-time and short courses, enrolled in the three colleges over the last 5 years.
Resolved: That a letter of thanks be sent to NUS/USI for their submission.
Mr Douglas attended the meeting at 10.21 a.m.
2.4. Beef Carcase Dressing Specification: Members considered a reply from the LMC to Committee concerns at the possibility of meat plants in Northern Ireland adopting the new specification.
Resolved: That this issue be raised with the Minister at the meeting on 5 July 2002 and that her office should be advised accordingly.
3. Departmental Budget
3.1. Consideration of draft Committee response on the Executive Position Report: Members considered draft responses to OFMDFM on Programme for Government issues and the Finance and Personnel Committee with regard to resource issues.
Resolved: That the letter to OFMDFM be issued with one small amendment, relating to the number of farm holdings.
Resolved: That the letter to Finance and Personnel Committee be issued with one
small amendment relating to the number of farm holdings.
3.2. Consideration of draft Committee response to the DARD Management Plan: Members considered a draft response to the various proposals for savings in the Department's running costs budget.
Resolved: That the letter be issued.
3.3. A member raised the media reports about an underspend in funds.
Resolved: That the issue of underspending by DARD be raised with the Minister at the meeting on 5 July and that her office should be advised accordingly.
4. Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill
4.1. Department officials Mr Johnston Given and Ms Margaret Hood attended the meeting at 10.50 a.m. to respond to the Committee on the two outstanding issues from the meeting of 21 June 2002.
4.2. Mr Given informed the Committee that in Clause 2(1) he believed there was no need to make provision for the courts to make forfeiture order to allow the removal of equipment used for the purpose of fur farming which could be of financial benefit to the breeder/owner. Under Clause 5(4) the Department were willing to make an amendment in relation to the need for express provision for any compensation scheme to specify a deadline after which no payments will be made.
4.3. Members deliberated over these two issues and were content with the response from the officials. Members also considered advice obtained from the Assembly's Director of Legal Services. The Committee then proceeded to carry out a clause by clause consideration of the Bill.
Clause 1 - Offences Relating to Fur Farming. The Chairman gave an outline of the effects of this clause.
Question put and agreed:
"That the Committee is content with the Clause".
Clause 2 - Forfeiture Orders. The Chairman gave an outline of the effects of this clause.
Question put and agreed:
"That the Committee is content with the Clause".
Clause 3 - Effect of Forfeiture Orders. The Chairman gave an outline of the effects of this clause.
Question put and agreed:
"That the Committee is content with the Clause".
Clause 4 - Powers of Entry. The Chairman gave an outline of the effects of this clause.
Question put and agreed:
"That the Committee is content with the Clause".
Clause 5 - Compensation for Existing Businesses. The Chairman gave an outline of the effects of this clause.
Question put and agreed:
"That the Committee recommends to the Assembly that Clause 5 be amended as outlined by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in its e-mail correspondence dated 27 June 2002, namely: in page 3, line 36, insert":
'(4) The scheme shall provide that payments shall not be made under the scheme in respect of a business which was first carried on after a date specified in the scheme' - [The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.]
Resolved: That the Committee would support the amendment if tabled by the Minister or if not tabled by the Minister, would table it as a Committee amendment.
Clause 6 - Short Title and Commencement.
Question put and agreed:
"That the Committee is content with the Clause".
Long Title
Question put and agreed:
"That the Committee is content with the long title".
The Chairman thanked the officials and they left the meeting at 11.05 a.m. at which time the Chairman adjourned the meeting. The meeting resumed at 11.15 a.m. The Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Messrs Armstrong, Douglas, Kane, Murphy and McHugh were all present.
5. Chairman's Business
5.1. Fisheries Grants Schemes: Members were advised that a letter had been received from DARD regarding plans to introduce new schemes for fisheries grants.
Resolved: That this issue be discussed with the relevant officials at the meeting on 5 July 2002.
Mr Ford returned to the meeting at 11.18 a.m.
6. Light Dues Review
6.1. Consideration of papers and draft Committee response: Members noted a letter from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions along with a consultation paper seeking the Committee's comments on proposals for the Review of the UK light dues. Members also considered a draft response.
Mr Armstrong left the meeting at 11.26 a.m.
Resolved: That the draft response be issued with two slight amendments relating to the payment of fees by government and referring to the Minister's stated position.
7. Farm Subsidies
7.1. Consideration of draft Code of Practice: Members noted a letter from the Department and a final draft Code of Practice and deliberated over their response to it.
Mr Bradley returned to the meeting at 11.48 a.m.
Resolved: That the relevant officials be invited to accompany the Minister at the Meeting on 5 July 2002 to discuss this issue.
Resolved: That a draft press release be prepared for agreement next week endorsing the idea of a code of practice but highlighting Committee concerns on the implementation of DARD policy. The press release should issue on publication, by DARD, of the Code of Practice.
The Chairman left the meeting at 11.54 a.m. The Deputy Chairman assumed the Chair.
8. Statutory Rules
8.1. Members considered a proposal for the Welfare of Animals (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2002: Laying Hens.
Resolved: That, having considered the Department's response to its letter of 15 November 2001, the Committee is content for DARD to proceed to make the Rule.
8.2. Members considered a proposal for Seeds (Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002.
Motion: That the Committee rejects the proposal to increase fees by 5% [G Kane]
The Committee deliberated.
The Committee divided: For: 2 Against: 3 The motion therefore fell.
Resolved: That the Committee issue a letter to DARD stating that although there is no general wish to see fees increased, after a narrow vote members are content for DARD to proceed to make the Rule, given that the increase was small, as were the numbers affected by it, and based on the information that fees in Northern Ireland would remain lower than those in England, Scotland and Wales. The letter should also reflect that there was debate on rejecting the proposed increase.
8.3. Members considered a proposal for Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feeding Stuffs) (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002.
Resolved: That the Committee is content for DARD to proceed to make the Rule having considered further information provided by the Department and being satisfied with the assurances provided.
8.4. Members noted a proposal from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to make a Rule to amend the Feeding Stuffs Regulations (NI) 2001.
9. Equality Impact Assessment
9.1. Consideration of DARD Equality Impact Assessments: Members noted a letter from the Department along with extracts from the Equality Impact Assessments of the Payments of Less Favourable Area Support and the Payment of Agricultural Grants and Subsidies. One member recorded his concerns about information on a person's religion being sought in DARD questionnaires.
10. Committee Planning
10.1. Consideration of non-DARD issues: Members acknowledged receipt of a folder containing papers on various outstanding issues. The Deputy Chairman raised the issue of the Rural Rate Relief Scheme.
Resolved: That the Clerk should seek an update on the issue from the Finance and Personnel Committee.
11. Any Other Business
11.1. A member raised the issue of the Burns report on education. The Committee deliberated.
Resolved: That a letter be issued immediately to the Minister for Education, through the Committee for Education, highlighting the Committee's concerns about the use of distance from home to school as a selection criteria as this may have a disproportionate impact in rural areas.
11.2. A member raised his concerns about the rising cost of agricultural insurance. The Committee deliberated.
Resolved: That a letter be issued to the insurance industry representative body highlighting the Committee's concerns and inviting them to a meeting after the summer recess.
12. Date of Next Meeting
12.1. Resolved: That the next meeting will take place on Friday 5 July 2002 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings, at the earlier time of 9.30 a.m. to allow time for preparation for the meeting with the Minister.
The Deputy Chairman brought the meeting to a close at 12.22 p.m.
Dr IRK Paisley
Chairman