COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER 2008
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Danny Kennedy (Chairperson)
Mr Tom Elliott
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Barry McElduff
Mr Francie Molloy
Mr Stephen Moutray
Mr Jim Shannon
Mr Jimmy Spratt
In Attendance:
Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Linda Gregg (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Keith McBride (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Lynda Mulholland (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Helena Maginness (Clerical Officer)
2.02 p.m. The meeting opened in public session.
1. Apologies
Ms Martina Anderson, Mrs Dolores Kelly, Mrs Naomi Long.
2. Consideration of European Issues
10.03 a.m. Mr Jim Allister, Member of the European Parliament joined the meeting.
10.04 a.m. Mr Elliott joined the meeting.
10.04 a.m. Mr McElduff joined the meeting.
10.08 a.m. Mr Shannon joined the meeting.
Mr Jim Allister MEP, briefed the Committee on European issues. A question and answer session followed.
10.41 a.m. Mr Jim Allister, Member of the European Parliament left the meeting.
10.50 a.m. Mr Jim Nicholson, Member of the European Parliament joined the meeting.
Mr Jim Nicholson MEP, briefed the Committee on European issues. A question and answer session followed.
11.22 a.m. Mr Moutray left the meeting.
11.35 a.m. Mr Jim Nicholson, Member of the European Parliament left the meeting.
3. Executive’s Response to the Report of the Barroso Taskforce
The Chairperson advised Members that the Executive’s Response to the Report of the Barroso Taskforce has not yet been received. The Chairperson advised that the Department hope to have it with the Committee in time for the first meeting in January 2009.
4. Chairperson’s Business
Committee visit to Welsh Equality of Opportunity Committee
The Committee noted the minutes from the Committee’s visit to Cardiff to meet with the Welsh Equality of Opportunity Committee and the Scottish Equal Opportunities Committee. The Chairperson advised that a provisional date of 28 April 2009 has been circulated for the next meeting of the Committees in Parliament Buildings.
Press Releases
The Chairperson advised Members to exercise caution when issuing press releases regarding work that the Committee has considered. Some of the documents the Committee consider are at an early stage and therefore decisions have not been made.
11.44 a.m. Mr McCrea left the meeting.
5. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2008
Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings were agreed by the Committee.
6. Matters Arising
Lifetime Opportunities
Members noted the response from OFMDFM advising that the Executive have agreed to formally adopt the broad architecture and principles of Lifetime Opportunities as the basis of its strategy to tackle poverty and social inclusion.
Equality and Social Need Research and Information Strategy
Members noted the response from OFMDFM regarding issues that the Committee raised following the briefing on the strategy.
Cross-cutting Priorities
Members noted the response from OFMDFM providing further information on how legislative and financial instruments might be used to assist cross-departmental working.
Her Majesty’s Treasury
Members considered the response from the Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, thanking the Committee for its response to the Tax Credits Discussion Paper.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, to seek further information on the action that the Treasury intend to take following the responses to the Discussion Paper.
Holding Conditions for Asylum Seekers and their Children
Members considered the response from the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding holding conditions for asylum seekers and their children.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Minister of State for Borders and Immigration to request further information.
11.53 a.m. Mr McCrea joined the meeting.
Children and Young People Action Plan
Members noted the response from the junior Ministers regarding the Committee’s response to the draft Children and Young People’s Action Plan.
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women
Members noted the response from OFMDFM on questions that the Committee raised concerning the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women.
Management Letter from the Northern Ireland Audit Office
Members noted the copy of the Management Letter from the Northern Ireland Audit Office regarding OFMDFM’s Resource Accounts 2007-08.
Response from the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development
Members noted the response from the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development regarding the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development’s anti-poverty budget.
Independent Healthy Ageing Research
Members noted the response from OFMDFM regarding the Independent Healthy Ageing Research.
Response from junior Ministers
Members noted response from the junior Ministers providing further information after the evidence session on 5 November 2008.
Consideration of European issues
Members noted the supplementary information provided by OFMDFM and Mr Maurice Maxwell, Head of the European Commission’s Office in Belfast following their evidence session on 12 November 2008. Members also noted a briefing provided by the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning the claw-back of European funding.
Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development
Members noted the response from the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development concerning the culling of badgers.
Arrangements for access and facilities
Members noted the response from the Director of Properties in the Northern Ireland Assembly, concerning access and facilities available to Members of the European Parliament and former Members of the Assembly.
7. Correspondence
Committee for Finance and Personnel
Members noted two items of correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning the Strategic Stocktake 2009-11 and its proposed meeting with the banks and the Consumer Council
Assembly and Executive Review
Members noted the copy letter from the Chairperson of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee to the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the devolution of policing and justice matters.
Children’s Law Centre and Save The Children
Members noted the information provided by the Children’s Law Centre and Save the Children concerning the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Help the Aged
Members considered the correspondence from Help the Aged concerning the increased cost of living and its impact on older people and agreed to forward to OFMDFM for their consideration.
Committee for Regional Development
Members agreed to forward a letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Regional Development, concerning flood management to the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
Committee on Procedures to Departmental Assembly Liaison Officer
Members agreed to forward a letter from the Clerk to the Committee on Procedures to the Departmental Assembly Liaison Officer concerning the Departmental process for answering written questions.
Committee for the Environment
Members agreed to forward a letter from the Committee for the Environment to OFMDFM concerning Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems.
Committee for Social Development
Members agreed to forward a letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Social Development concerning the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No.2) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 to the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
Committee for Employment and Learning
Members agreed to forward the letter from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the Construction Industry to the Chairperson of the Employment and Learning Committee.
Committee for Social Development – Fuel Poverty Scheme
Members agreed to forward the letter from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the Fuel Poverty Scheme to the Chairperson of the Committee for Social Development.
8. Forward Work Programme
Agreed: Members agreed the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for the month of January.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Clerk should make arrangements for the Committee to visit the European Committees in the House of Commons, the House of Lords, Scotland and Wales.
Agreed: Members agreed to invite the House of the Oireachtas Joint Committees on Europe to give oral evidence to the Committee in relation to the Committee’s consideration of European issues.
9. Any Other Business
The Chairperson advised Members that a copy of the Executive’s response to the Committee’s Child Poverty Report had been received this morning. The Department has advised that the junior Ministers will brief the Committee on the response in the New Year.
10. Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 7 January 2009 at 2.00 p.m. in Room 144.
11.56 a.m. The Chairperson adjourned the meeting.