COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY
FIRST MINISTER

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 25 MARCH 2009
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Mr Danny Kennedy (Chairperson)
Mr Jim Shannon
Mr Stephen Moutray
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Francie Molloy
Mr Barry McElduff
Mr Jimmy Spratt
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr Tom Elliott

In Attendance: Ms Aoibhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Patricia Casey (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Colin Wilson (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Linda Gregg (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Sean McCann (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr James Quinn (Clerical Officer)

2.02 p.m. The meeting opened in public session.

1. Apologies

None

2. Chairperson’s Business

Events and Invitations

The Chairperson informed members that both he had received an invitation from the Indian Community Centre (Belfast) to attend its first Festival of India event on Sunday 19 April 2009 at 1 pm in St. George’s Market, Belfast.

Agreed: Members will advise the Commission Office of their availability.

3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2009

Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 11 March 2009 were agreed by the Committee.

4. Consideration of European Issues

Update on administration issues

Visit to Barcelona

The Chairperson informed members that a response from Barcelona officials highlighted Wednesday 20 May to Friday 22 May 2009 as the most suitable dates for the proposed fact finding visit to Barcelona.

Agreed: Members will advise the Commission Office ASAP of their availability.

2.06 p.m. Mr Jimmy Spratt joined the meeting

Washington Visit

The Chairperson advised members that a report of the Washington visit will be circulated for the meeting of 1 April 2009.

Westminster Visit

The Chairperson informed members that a report on the visit to Westminster on 4 March 2009 is included in this weeks meeting pack.

Evidence sessions

The Chairperson informed members that the House of Lords European Select Committee and the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee had agreed to give oral evidence to the Committee, however both the HOC and HOL Committees’ indicated their preference for a Tuesday as they could not accommodate Wednesday.

Agreed: Members agreed to have a working lunch meeting with the HOC and HOL Committees’ from 12.30 to 2 p.m. on a Tuesday date to be confirmed.

Today’s Evidence Sessions

2.08 p.m. Dr Ken Bishop, European Officer, Councillor Jonathan Bell and Councillor Tim Attwood from NILGA joined the meeting.

Ken Bishop, Jonathan Bell and Tim Attwood from the Northern Ireland Local Government Association briefed the Committee on European issues. This was followed by a question and answer session.

2.10 p.m. Mr Barry McElduff joined the meeting.
2.15 p.m. Ms Martina Anderson joined the meeting.
2.34 p.m. Mr Tom Elliott joined the meeting.
2.39 p.m. Mr Barry McElduff left the meeting.
2.46 p.m. Dr Ken Bishop, Councillor Jonathan Bell and Councillor Tim Attwood from NILGA left the meeting.
2.47 p.m. Mr Peter Bunting Assistant General Secretary and Mr John O’Farrell Communications Officer from the NIC- ICTU joined the meeting.

Peter Bunting and John O’Farrell from the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions briefed the Committee on European issues. This was followed by a question and answer session.

3.07 p.m. Mr Jim Shannon left the meeting.
3.25 p.m. Peter Bunting and Mr John O’Farrell of the ICTU left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to commission research on Northern Ireland uptake of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF).

3.26 p.m. Seamus Gallagher and Sean Kelly, Policy Officers for the NI Environment Link joined the meeting.

Seamus Gallagher and Sean Kelly from the NI Environment Link briefed the Committee on European issues. This was followed by a question and answer session.

3.38 p.m. Mr Jim Shannon joined the meeting.
3.49 p.m. Seamus Gallagher and Sean Kelly, from the NI Environment Link left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting further information on the web portals indicating forthcoming EU legislation

5. The Executive Sub-Committee on Poverty and Social Inclusion

3.51 p.m. Gerry Mulligan, Patricia Carey and Michael Pollock from OFMDFM joined the meeting.

Officials from the Department briefed the Committee on the Executive Sub-Committee on Poverty and Social Inclusion. This was followed by a question and answer session.

4.08 p.m. Gerry Mulligan, Patricia Carey and Michael Pollock from OFMDFM left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to set out in an aide memoir a list of the points raised, to be forwarded to the Department in advance of the first meeting of the Sub-Committee on 26 March 2009.

6. Matters arising

Tax Credits: Improving Delivery and Choice – response from HM Treasury.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that members will forward any comments on the HM Treasury response to the Committee office by 3 April 2009.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to ask HM Treasury for a synopsis of responses received to their consultation exercise.

Executive Response to the Barroso Taskforce Report – response from Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

The Committee noted the response from Committee for Enterprise Trade and Investment.

Executive Response to the Barroso Taskforce Report – response from Committee for Education and the Department of Education.

The Committee noted the response from the Department of Education and the Committee for Education.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward these responses to the Department (OFMDFM).

Consideration of EU Issues – further information from Craigavon Borough Council.

The Committee noted the response from Craigavon Borough Council.

Welfare Reform Bill – Response from Lady Hermon MP enclosing a letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Work and Pensions.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Lady Hermon and request that she makes further representation to the Minister for Work and Pensions to include Northern Ireland in the pilot exercise currently underway across six English local authorities.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Children In Action and other relevant children’s organisations advising them of the contents of the Minister’s letter.

Research Paper: Safeguarding and the Rehabilitation of Young Offenders and Sex Offenders AND Research Paper: Lines of Communication between OFMDFM and NIO on Children’s Issues

The Committee noted the two research papers.

Written submission from the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service to the Select Committee on the Barnett Formula

The Chairperson advised members that he was unable to attend the Barnett dinner on 26 March and that the deputy Chairperson was also unable to attend.

None of the members were able to attend the dinner.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Committee Clerk should represent the Committee at the Barnett dinner.

Research Paper: The Barnett Formula;

Research Paper: A Background Paper on the Barnett Formula;

Appendix B – the Barnett Formula: A Worked Example; AND

The Barnett Formula Theory and Practice

The Committee noted the four Barnett formula documents.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request an oral presentation of the Barnett formula.

Integrated Development Fund – letter from OFMDFM

The Committee noted the response from the Department clarifying the position of outstanding IDF projects.

PROJECT KELVIN – letter from OFMDFM

The Committee noted the response from OFMDFM clarifying the position regarding consultation with the Department on the decision to relocate Project Kelvin.

Autism NI- request to make submission to the Committee

Agreed: The Committee agreed to allocate a session with Autism NI into the Forward Work Plan.

7. Correspondence

Work Shadowing Placements during Disability Week – memo from the Clerk to the Chairperson’s Liaison Group.

The Committee noted the memo from the Clerk to the Chairperson’s Liaison Group.

Consultation on the Removal of the Exemption for Operators of Transport Services from Part III of the DDA 1995 – response from the Committee for Regional Development and copy letter to Equality Legislation Branch of OFMDFM.

The Committee noted the memo from the Committee for Regional Development.

“Joining up the Dots; Britain’s Constitutional Territorial Debates” – Social and Policy Research Institute Seminar by Dr Alan Trench, Special Advisor to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Barnett formula.

The Committee were content to note.

Strategic Economic Issues – copy letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Finance and Personnel.

The Committee noted the letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Finance and Personnel.

Climate Change Policy – response from OFMDFM to be forwarded to the Committee for the Environment.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the response to the Chairperson of the Committee for the Environment.

Cross Sector Advisory Forum – letter from OFMDFM.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting further details of why the Social Economy Network are not included in the Cross Sector Advisory Forum.

8. Any other Business