Present:
The Speaker
Mr I Davis
Mr B Hutchinson
Mr K McCarthy
Dr A McDonnell
Prof M McWilliams
Mr M Morrow
Mr C Murphy
Mr I Paisley Jnr
Mr D Watson
Mr J Wilson

1. CHAIRMAN'S BUSINESS

1.1 The Speaker thanked Mr D Watson for chairing the meeting of 8 January 2002.

2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

2.1 The minutes of the previous meeting of 8 January 2002 were AGREED by the Committee and signed by the Speaker.

3. MATTERS ARISING

3.1. Members noted that a motion to replace Ms Eileen Bell on the Assembly Commission had been agreed by the Business Committee but had not appeared subsequently on the Order Paper. The motion had been withdrawn by the proposer, Prof McWilliams, pending the signature of a seconder. The Speaker clarified that advice had been sought regarding the competence of the motion in the absence of specific Standing Orders regarding membership of the Assembly Commission, referred to in Schedule 5 of the 1998 Act. He was now content that the motion was competent but that it would be preferable to have Standing Orders in place to regularise future changes of membership of the Commission. Members were advised that the motion had been resubmitted in the names of Prof McWilliams and Mr B Hutchinson and stood on the No Day Named List for consideration by the Business Committee.

3.2 In light of this, Members discussed briefly the issues surrounding the motion and expressed concerns that it may be contentious. It was AGREED that the motion would not be placed on the Order Paper for week commencing 21 January, but would remain on the No Day Named List while the smaller parties met again to discuss their representation on the Assembly Commission. The motion, if any, resulting from this meeting would then be submitted to the Business Committee to place on the Order Paper. The Speaker would remind the Committee on Procedures to bring forward the amendment to the procedures for appointment to the Assembly Commission, after the current membership issue is resolved.

3.3 Members had been advised at the previous meeting that there may be a business motion to replace Mr Seán Neeson as Deputy Chairperson of the ETI Committee due to Mr Neeson's ill-health. No motion had, however, been received.

3.4 Mr Tierney queried why a substantive motion was required to replace the Deputy Chairperson of a Committee when that Member had been appointed by way of nomination under d'Hondt. The Speaker clarified that the initial procedure was that Chairs and Deputy Chairs were appointed prior to the appointment of Committee members to ensure that membership of the Committees reflected the membership of the Assembly. Now that the Committees are constituted, it is preferable that the Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson should first be appointed as a member of the Committee through the Assembly. The Nominating Officer of the relevant party may at that stage nominate that Member to be Chair or Deputy Chair. This approach was AGREED.

4. ARRANGEMENTS FOR PLENARY MEETINGS WEEK COMMENCING

4.1 Following consideration of business tabled by the Executive Committee for week commencing 21 January, Mr Jim Wilson proposed there should be only one day's sitting that week. Following discussion, it was AGREED that there should be two sitting days Members further AGREED that the Executive should be advised of the Business Committee's dissatisfaction with the lack of legislative progress.

4.2 Business for the Plenary Sittings on 21 and 22 January 2002 was discussed, the draft Order Papers AGREED and indicative timings allocated.

4.3 It was AGREED that the debate on the motion for Monday 21 January 2002 'Independent Commission of Inquiry' would be limited to 45 minutes. It was likely, therefore, that Members' speaking times would be limited to 5 minutes each.

4.4 Mr Sam Foster had signed the motion tabled for Tuesday 22 January 2002 'Chaulnes Area' in his capacity as a private member. The Speaker confirmed that this was in order as the matter did not relate to an area within Executive ministerial responsibility. Mr Hutchinson suggested that the substance of the motion had already been dealt with in correspondence to Mr Foster in his capacity as Minister of the Environment. It was AGREED that the Business Office would investigate whether this was so, in which case the motion would not appear on the Order Paper and subsequent business would roll forward.

5. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

5.1 Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB)

The Speaker reminded Members that the final deadline for submission of written evidence is Friday 18 January 2002. This deadline had been extended from 31 December 2001. Members were informed that a subgroup of the SSRB chaired by Sir Michael Perry, would take oral evidence on Tuesday 29 January 2002 in Parliament Buildings. Those parties who had not yet arranged a time to meet with the Review Body should contact the Clerk to the Assembly Commission.

5.2 Party Allowances

Members had been circulated with a summary paper 'Financial Support for Political Parties'. Members were asked to discuss the paper with their respective parties and channel any views on the future structure of a Party Allowance Scheme through the Clerk to the Assembly Commission. The Commission would be taking the views of the Business Committee and the First and Deputy First Ministers before taking any decision on future arrangements. The Speaker urged Members also to discuss the matters with Members of the Assembly Commission so they would be clear about Party positions.

5.3 Release of Information about Individual Members' Cost Allowance Claims

The Assembly Commission wished to consult with the Business Committee on the information that should be published. Members had been circulated with a copy of the information published by the Scottish Parliament.

The Speaker outlined a proposal that he should publish the amounts to individual Members with effect from 1998 for:

• salaries - including extra salaries to office-holders;
• office costs and allowances - the amount claimed;
• travel expenses;
• overnight claims

with the note that Members who live at a distance from Stormont will have more substantial travel expenses and that Ministers have their own travel arrangements.

Meantime, the Commission would consider what further information should be made publicly available in relation to individual Members, such as whether office costs and allowances could be broken down further to itemise staff, rent, equipment and running costs. In considering the matters with colleagues, Members should bear in mind that the same information would be made available for all Members, and that it would be preferable to adopt a proactive approach in anticipation of impending Freedom of Information legislation.

It was AGREED that Members would consider the issue and discuss the matter at the next meeting of the Business Committee.

5.4 House of Lords Constitution Committee Inquiry into Inter-Institutional Relations in the UK

Members had received copies of the call for evidence by the House of Lords Constitution Committee. The Speaker reminded Members that the Committee would visit Northern Ireland to take evidence on Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 June 2002. Written evidence had been requested by 27 February 2002.

5.5 Points of Order

Members were reminded of the previous convention on condolences agreed by the Committee, ie that Whips would agree with the Speaker the most appropriate means by which the Assembly could express its condolences where appropriate. At the Sitting on 14 January 2002, however, a Member had raised the issue by way of a point of order while discussions were still ongoing about what action the Assembly should take. The Speaker indicated he was not content with such actions which created an adverse perception of how the Assembly conducted itself and could be embarrassing for Members and interpreted as disrespectful to bereaved families. It was AGREED that Members would give the matter consideration and discuss at the next meeting. In the meantime, if the circumstances arose, Whips would discuss the issue of condolences with the Speaker.

5.6 Speaker's Dinner 1 February 2002: Assembly and Business Trust

The Speaker advised Members that he would be contacting Whips to nominate representatives to attend the dinner with Members of the business community. One representative would be sought from each of the 4 larger parties, and 1 to represent the smaller parties.

5.7 Social Development Committee - Quorum

Members noted the content of a letter from Mr Fred Cobain, Chair of the Social Development Committee, to the Business Committee re the problems associated with lack of a quorum at Committee meetings. The Speaker reminded Members that the Business Office would be issuing to Whips the list of attendance by their party members at Committee Meetings.

5.8 Joint Parliamentary Forum

Members had been copied a letter from Mr Ford asking that the Committee take forward establishment of a Joint Parliamentary Forum under Strand 2 of the Belfast Agreement. It was AGREED that the Business Office would prepare a paper on procedure options for consideration at the next meeting.

6. DATE, TIME AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING

6.1 The next meeting of the Business Committee was scheduled for Tuesday 22 January 2002, at 1.00 pm or 10 minutes after rise of House for lunch, in Room 106.

The meeting adjourned at 2.03 pm.