Present: Dr IRK Paisley MP MEP (Chairman)
Mr G Savage (Deputy Chairman)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr B Douglas
Mr G Kane
Mr I Paisley, Jnr

Apologies: Mr PJ Bradley
Mr J Dallat
Mr P Doherty
Mr D Ford
Mr G McHugh

In attendance: Mrs C White (Committee Clerk)
Miss J Adair (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mrs J Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr J McCourt (Clerical Officer)
Mr G Donnelly (Clerical Officer)
Mr R McConaghy (Senior Assembly Researcher)
Dr K Pelan (Assembly Researcher)

In attendance for Private Session at 9.55 a.m. Dr B Stewart, Mr T Stainer and Ms S McCauseland.

The Chairman declared the meeting open in private session at 9.40 a.m. He advised the Committee that Mrs Cathie White had replaced Mr Paul Moore as Committee Clerk with effect from 2 September 2002. He welcomed Mrs White together with new staff members, Mrs Joy Hamilton and Mr Gerald Donnelly, to the Committee. The Committee placed on formal record its thanks to Mr Paul Moore for his hard work and dedication and agree that the Chairman should write expressing members' gratitude to Mr Moore.

Members also agreed that the Chairman should write on behalf of the Committee to extend condolences to the Durkan family on recent death of Mr Durkan's mother.

1. Minutes of Proceedings on Friday 5 July 2002

1.1. Resolved: That the draft Minutes of Proceedings for 5 July were approved.

2. Forward Planning

2.1. Correspondence During Summer Recess. The Committee considered a paper suggesting further action on a number of correspondence received during the summer recess. Copies of responses from the Department should be forwarded to the Northern Coast Lobster Fisherman's Association and the Ulster Angling Federation. The Committee should request copies or summaries of responses to the following DARD consultation exercises:

­ Proposals for the Sheep Annual Premium Scheme National Envelope
­ Proposals for the Beef Annual Premium Scheme National Envelope
­ Proposals for the National List Written Representations and Hearings Procedures
­ Proposals for Shellfishing in Isle of Man Waters
­ UK-wide Proposals for the Registration of Sellers & Buyers of First Sale Fish
­ EC Proposals on Thresholds for the Adventitious Presence of GMOs in Seeds
­ EC Proposals on Potato Cyst Nematode

Resolved: That the Committee Office should proceed with the suggested action.

2.2. Members considered a letter from the Minister inviting the Committee to attend a Conference of the Wider Group of the Rural Stakeholders Forum on Friday 4 October 2002.

Resolved: That the Chairman and members of the Committee should attend the Conference and hold its weekly Committee meeting at the Conference venue.

2.3. The Committee considered a range of correspondence received from other Assembly Committees over the summer recess.

Resolved: That Assembly Researchers and the Clerk would provide information and draft responses regarding the Housing Bill and Strategic Planning Bill for the agreement and signature by the Chairman.

Resolved: That Assembly Researchers would provide information to assist the Committee in its consideration of the Review of Rating Policy at a later meeting.

2.4. DARD Modernisation Programme. Departmental officials gave a presentation and answered members' questions on the Department's Modernisation Programme. Officials spoke on the content and individual aspects and timescales of the various policy reviews, which constitute the Modernisation Programme. These included the Vision Action Plan, the O'Hare Report on Education and R&D in Agriculture, Interface with rural customers and E-Government targets.

2.5. This was followed by a detailed question and answer session. Key issues discussed included the publication of the Report on the Food Body Working Group in mid September, implications of the restructuring of the agricultural industry and of the Department and research into possible Early Retirement/New Entrant Schemes.

Resolved: That absent Committee members could contact officials if they had any queries regarding the programme.

2.6. The Chairman thanked the officials and they left the meeting at 10.40 a.m.

Resolved: That the Department would provide the Committee with an action plan detailing progress made on implementing the Committee's recommendations.

The meeting was adjourned until 10.45 a.m.

2.7. Draft Forward Work Programme. Members considered a draft Committee Work Programme to December 2002 and a discussion paper on potential items for Committee Business for the 2002/03 session together with a DARD Schedule of Further Business.

Resolved: Members agreed to invite Departmental officials to discuss the Less Favoured Areas Compensatory Allowances at next week's meeting.

3. Chairman's Business

3.1. NIAPA Protest. The Committee noted a letter from the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association regarding its protest at 12 noon that day to highlight the difficulties faced by local producers competing in a global market.

Resolved: That, on behalf of the Committee, the Chairman would meet a delegation from NIAPA if required.

3.2. Wet Weather Payments. Members discussed the difficulties faced by farmers in Northern Ireland due to the unprecedented wet weather in 2002.

Resolved: That the Chairman and Deputy Chairman would seek a meeting with, Mrs Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to demand that the UK government apply to the EU for wet weather payments for farmers in Northern Ireland.

Resolved: That the Chairman and Deputy Chairman would seek a meeting with the Minister to discuss this issue in advance of a meeting with Mrs Beckett.

4. Forward Planning

4.1. Draft Forward Work Programme. The Committee gave further consideration to the draft Committee Forward Work Programme.

Resolved: That the Committee agreed the draft Forward Work Programme and priorities. Members further agreed to invite representatives from the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance to discuss its response to the O'Hare Report on Education in Agriculture at next week's meeting.

4.2. Members considered moving Committee meetings from a Friday to another day to allow Members to carry out constituency work on Fridays.

Resolved: To continue to meet on Friday morning until the end of this session.

5. Inquiry into Foot & Mouth Disease

5.1. Update on the Appointment of an External Researcher. Researchers advised the Committee on the outcome of the meeting with the Assembly's Procurement Officer and the Clerk regarding the appointment of a candidate to carry out the external research element of the Inquiry into Foot & Mouth Disease.

Resolved: That, in light of the information provided, the external research element of the Inquiry should not proceed. Members therefore instructed the Clerk not to proceed with the appointment of an external researcher.

The Chairman moved the meeting into public session at 11.15 a.m.

5.2. Progress Report by Assembly Researchers. Rab McConaghy and Kevin Pelan joined the meeting at 11.15 a.m. to give a progress report and answer members' questions on the five research papers, including the 'live issues' paper, prepared during the summer recess.

Resolved: That the Committee would receive finalised copies of the research papers, early week commencing 9 September 2002.

Mr Paisley left the meeting at 11.22 a.m.

5.3. Consideration of Possible Oral Evidence Sessions. Members considered a folder containing copies of all the written submissions received in response to the Foot & mouth Inquiry.

Resolved: That the Clerk should provide a list of potential witnesses to give oral evidence for consideration at next weeks' meeting.

6. Inquiry into Animal Disease

6.1. The Committee noted the publication of the final Reports on the Brucellosis and Tuberculosis Policy Reviews and noted that written comments had been sought from a range of interested bodies.

7. Statutory Rules

7.1. Plant Health (Amendment) Order (NI) 2002. Members considered proposals for the Plant Health (Amendment) Order (NI) 2002

Resolved: That the Committee was content for the Department to proceed with this Rule.

7.2. SR 273/2002 - Plant Health (Amendment) Order (NI) 2002
The Committee, having discussed proposals for these Regulations formally considered this Rule.

Question put and agreed:

That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Plant Health (Amendment) Order (NI) 2002 and has no objection to the Rule.

7.3. SR 246/2002 - Potatoes Originating in Egypt (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2002. The Committee, having discussed proposals for these Regulations on 22 February 2002, formally considered this Rule.

Question put and agreed:

That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Potatoes Originating in Egypt (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2002 and has no objection to the Rule.

7.4. SR 249/2002 - Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2002

The Committee, having discussed proposal for these Regulations 12 April 2002, formally considered this Rule.

Question put to and agreed:

That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2002 and has no objection to the Rule.

7.5. SR 250/2002 - Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feedstuffs) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations (NI) 2002
The Committee, having discussed proposal for these Regulations on 21 and 28 June, formally considered this Rule.

Question put to and agreed:

That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feedstuffs) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations (NI) 2002 and has no objection to the Rule.

7.6. SR 257/2002 Seeds (Fees) Regulations (NI) 2002
The Committee, having discussed proposals for these Regulations on 24 May and 28 June 2002, formally considered this Rule.

Question put to and agreed:

That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Seeds (Fees) Regulations (NI) 2002 and recommends that it be annulled by the Assembly.

Resolved: that the Chairman tables the following motion in the Business Office - "That the Seed Potatoes (Crop Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 (No.257) be annulled".

7.7. SR 259/2002 - Welfare of Farmed Animals (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2002
The Committee, having discussed proposal for these Regulations on 9 November 2001 and 28 June 2002, formally considered this Rule.

Question put to and agreed:

That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2002 and has no objection to the Rule.

7.8. Plant Health (Phytophthora Ramorum) Order (NI) 2002. Members considered proposals for the Plant Health (Phytophthora Ramorum) Order (NI) 2002

Resolved: That the Committee was content for the Department to proceed with this Rule.

7.9. SR 269/2002 Plant Health (Phytophthora Ramorum) Order (NI) 2002 The Committee, having discussed proposals for these regulations formally considered this Rule.

Question put to and agreed:

That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Plant Health (Phytophthora Ramorum) Order (NI) 2002 and has no objection to the Rule.

8. Any Other Business

8.1. Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment - Tourism Inquiry. The Committee considered an invitation from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment for members to attend a one-day Conference on its Tourism Inquiry on Thursday 26 September 2002.

Resolved: To table this issue for further consideration at next weeks' meeting.

8.2. Review of Forestry Policies in Great Britain. Members noted a letter from the Department regarding the outcome of a review of the arrangements for the delivery of forestry polices in Great Britain.

8.3. O'Hare Report on Education and R&D in Agriculture and Food Science. The Committee noted a Press Release issued by the Ulster Farmers' Union regarding its response to the O'Hare Report.

8.4. Review of Post Primary Education in Northern Ireland. The Committee noted a letter from the Minister of Education acknowledging the Committee's response to the Review.

8.5. Rivers Agency Annual Report & Accounts 2001/02. The Committee noted the Rivers Agency Annual Report & Accounts 2001/02 together with its Citizen's Charter Statement.

8.6. Mr Kane raised concerns about the procedures for the disposal of blood and offal from processing plants in Northern Ireland.

Resolved: To write to the Department seeking information on this issue.

8.7. Mr Kane asked the Committee to consider the possibility of arranging a meeting with the Scottish Parliament's Committee for Rural Development.

Resolved: That the Committee Office should make preliminary inquiries about the possibility of such a meeting.

9. Date of Next Meeting

9.1. Resolved: That the next meeting will take place on Friday 13 September 2002 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings, at 10.00 a.m.

The Chairman brought the meeting to a close at 11.56 a.m.

Dr IRK Paisley
Chairman

5 July 2002 / Menu / 13 September 2002