MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS

BUSINESS COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2000 AT 2.00 PM
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

The meeting began at 2.00 pm

Present: Mr C Murphy - Deputy Chairperson
Mr I Davis
Mr N Dodds
Mr D Ford
Mr B Hutchinson
Mr A Maskey
Dr A McDonnell
Mr I Paisley Jnr

Apologies: Ms M McWilliams

In attendance: Mr M Barnes Ms G Campbell
Mr J Reynolds Mr J Ross

Observers: Ms J Morrice Deputy Speaker
Mr T McCusker Executive Liaison
Mrs E Bell
Mr D McClarty

1. ARRANGEMENTS FOR FORTHCOMING PLENARY MEETING

Deputy Chairperson, Mr Conor Murphy, in the Chair.

1.1 The Deputy Chairperson circulated draft Order Papers for the plenary meetings on 20/21 November 2000 and indicated indicative timings.

2. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

2.1 The Private Secretary to the Speaker informed Members that the contract of the Speaker's Adviser had been transferred from the Department of Finance and Personnel to the Assembly Commission. In line with this change to his contract the Speaker's Adviser would now be acting as Table Officer on some occasions. Members raised a number of queries about the authority for this appointment. Mr Maskey asked whether this had been approved by the Assembly Commission. Mrs Bell indicated that, to the best of her knowledge, it had not. A number of Members requested that this matter should appear on next week's agenda to allow further consideration of this issue. Mr Maskey indicated that it would be inappropriate for a presentation on the matter to be made by the Speaker's Adviser.

2.2 The Deputy Chairperson outlined the timetable for a proposed visit by a delegation of the Northern Ireland Assembly to the Centre for Democracy, Washington DC in Spring 2001. Members were issued with a Notational Agenda for descriptive purposes only. The Deputy Chairperson requested that any comments on the content of this programme should be conveyed to the Speaker's Office before the next meeting of the Business Committee. The meeting agreed that places on the visit should be allocated according to the relative strength of the parties as represented at the Business Committee.

3. DATE ,TIME AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Business Committee was scheduled for Tuesday 21 November 2000 at 1.00 pm in Room 106.

The meeting adjourned at 2.40 pm.

THE LORD ALDERDICE

14 November 2000 / Menu / 21 November 2000