COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY
FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2009
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Danny Kennedy (Chairperson)
Mrs Naomi Long (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Tom Elliott
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Barry McElduff
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)
Mr Stephen Magee (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Marion Johnson (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened at 2.02 p.m. in public session
1. Apologies
Mr Francie Molloy
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson advised Members that the meeting with the Scottish Equal Opportunities Committee and the Welsh Equality of Opportunity Committee will take place in Parliament Buildings on Monday 28 September. Members will confirm their availability to attend the meeting and dinner with the Scottish and Welsh Committees.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2009
Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 1 July 2009 were agreed by the Committee.
2.04 p.m. Mrs Long joined the meeting.
4. Department of Justice Bill
2.05 p.m. Departmental Officials Mr Tony Canavan and Mr Geoffrey Simpson joined the meeting.
Mr Spratt declared an interest as the Chairperson of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee. Mr Kennedy declared an interest as a Member of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee.
Departmental Officials briefed the Committee on the Department of Justice Bill. This was followed by a question and answer session. Officials undertook to provide further information to the Committee.
2.10 p.m. Mr McElduff joined the meeting.
2.15 p.m. Mr Shannon left the meeting.
2.31 p.m. Mr McCrea left the meeting.
2.40 p.m. Departmental Officials left the meeting.
Mr Elliott proposed that the Bill would not proceed in the Assembly until the next report of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee had been published.
The Committee divided on the proposal: Ayes 2; Noes 6
Ayes: Mr Elliott, Mr Kennedy.
Noes: Ms Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mrs Long, Mr McElduff, Mr Moutray, Mr Spratt.
Mrs Long proposed that the Committee place a public notice in newspapers following the First Stage of the Bill, allowing for a closing date of two weeks later for receipt of submissions. The Committee would then consider submissions received at its meeting on 7 October 2009. The Committee will then consider if it wishes to table a motion to extend the Committee Stage of the Bill.
The Committee divided on the proposal: Ayes 6; Noes 0; Abstentions 2
Ayes: Ms Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mrs Long, Mr McElduff, Mr Moutray, Mr Spratt.
Abstentions: Mr Elliott, Mr Kennedy.
Agreed: The Committee will place a public notice in newspapers following the First Stage of the Bill, allowing for a closing date of two week later for submissions, the Committee would then consider submissions received at its meeting on 7 October 2009. The Committee will then consider if it wishes to table a motion to extend the Committee Stage of the Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the draft public notice.
5. Departmental Budget
2.45 p.m. Departmental Officials Mrs Jackie Kerr and Mr Iain McFarlane joined the meeting.
Departmental Officials briefed the Committee regarding the Departments Resource Accounts 2008/09, Provisional Out-turn 2008/09 and September Monitoring Round. This was followed by a question and answer session. Departmental Officials undertook to provide the Committee with further information
2.59 p.m. Mr Shannon rejoined the meeting.
3.18 p.m. Departmental Officials left the meeting.
6. Programme for Government Formal Delivery Report
A Senior Researcher from the Assembly’s Research and Library Services briefed the Committee on the performance of the Department against its Programme for Government commitments.
3.27 p.m. Mr Moutray left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a briefing from Departmental Officials regarding the Programme for Government Delivery Report.
7. Commissioner for Older People’s Draft Legislation
3.36 p.m. Departmental Officials Dr Gerry Mulligan, Mrs M Campbell and Mr Stephen Orr joined the meeting.
Departmental Officials briefed the Committee regarding the Commissioner for Older People’s draft Legislation and consultation document. This was followed by a question and answer session. Departmental Officials undertook to provide the Committee with further information.
3.43 p.m. Mr Moutray rejoined the meeting.
4.02 p.m. Mr Shannon left the meeting.
4.05 p.m. Mr McElduff left the meeting.
4.08 p.m. Mr Spratt left the meeting.
4.11 p.m. Departmental Officials left the meeting.
8. UK Child Poverty Bill
The Committee considered the submission from Action for Children regarding the UK Child Poverty Bill. Members will be briefed by Departmental Officials at next week’s meeting regarding the Bill.
9. Matters arising
Autism Bill .
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the response from the Committee for Education regarding the Autism Bill to Disability Action and Autism NI.
UK Child Poverty Bill
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing from Departmental Officials regarding the Lifetime Opportunities – Proposals for Monitoring progress onto its Forward Work Programme.
Maze/Long Kesh
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking further clarification on the response issued by the Department. The Committee also agreed to ask for an update on this matter at a later date.
Public Appointments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the Department concerning Public Appointments to the Clerk of the Public Accounts Committee.
Childcare Provision
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking further information on the options being considered for childcare provision.
Agreed: The Committee also agreed to schedule a briefing from Departmental Officials following the economic appraisal of the options for provision of Childcare.
Children and Young People’s Action Plan.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking further information on accountability and the issue of financial incentives and penalties for departments not delivering targets.
Childcare Issues.
The Committee noted the response from the Department regarding Childcare issues.
4.19 p.m. Mr Spratt rejoined the meeting
Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation.
The Committee noted the response from the Department concerning the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation.
Victims and Survivors Service Proposals and Strategy
The Committee noted the responses from the Department concerning the proposals for the Victims and Survivors Service and the Victims and Survivors Strategy.
Commission Victims and Survivors
The Committee noted the responses from the Commission for Victims and Survivors concerning its consultation on its corporate plan and its comparative analysis of the Consultative Group on the Past Recommendations and UN Rule of Law Tools for Post Conflict States.
Victims and Survivors Service Consultation
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a summary of responses following the end of the consultation period. The committee also agreed to consider the Interim Needs Assessment once completed.
Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities Press Release
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask if this matter had been discussed at an Executive meeting.
Citizens Advice
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the update from Citizens Advice, regarding an intermediary’s helpline for Child Benefit issues, to the Minister for Social Development and the Committee for Social Development.
10. Correspondence
European Investment Bank.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a briefing from Departmental Officials regarding the drawdown and allocation of funding for Small Medium Size Enterprises from the European Investment Bank.
Responses from First Minister and deputy First Minister
The Committee agreed to forward the following responses from the First Minister and deputy First Minister to the relevant Committee Chairperson.
- Housing Amendment Bill – Committee for Social Development.
- Draft Sports Strategy - Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure.
- The reform and modernisation of the Office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman – Committee for Employment and Learning.
NI Multiple Deprivation Measure 2009: Consultation Document.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the each party will provide a response directly regarding the Consultation Document.
Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a letter from the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety to the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
4.29 p.m. Mr Attwood left the meeting.
Gender Equality Strategy
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request further information on why no local contribution was provided by any Northern Ireland Department for Part 11 of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
The Committee agreed to note the following correspondence:
- Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland from the Department.
- Efficiency Review Panel from the Department.
- Strategic Investment Board – Annual Report and Accounts.
- Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland – Launch of Web Portal.
- Review of the Economic Research Institute of Northern Ireland from the Department.
- Equality Legislation – Age discrimination from the Department.
- Payment of Invoices within 10 day target from the Department.
- Race Relations Order from the Department.
- Cross Sector Advisory Forum Minutes.
- UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from the Department.
- Play and Leisure Policy from the Department.
- Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety – Buddy Bear Scheme.
- Debt Relief Scheme from the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
- Child Poverty Report update from the Committee for Finance and Personnel.
- Responses from the Committee for Finance and Personnel, the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Committee for Enterprise Trade and Investment concerning the Children and Young People’s Action Plan.
- Autism Bill from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure.
- Devolution of Policing and Justice, copy letter from Chairperson of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee to the first Minister and deputy First Minister.
- Capital Works Programme from the Committee for Finance and Personnel.
- Executive Sub-Committee for Children and Young People from the Committee for Social Development.
- Varney Report on Northern Ireland competitiveness and Varney 2 recommendations from the Committee for Finance and Personnel.
11. Forward Work Programme
Agreed : Members agreed the forward Work Programme for the month of September.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it would reschedule the visit to Dungavel Holding Centre.
12. Any other Business
Proposed Committee visit to Washington
Agreed: Members agreed that due to the volume of upcoming work that it would consider the proposed visit to Washington later in the session.
4.35 p.m. Mr Attwood rejoined the meeting.
13. EU Report
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it would forward comments on the draft EU report to the Clerk for consideration at the Committee meeting on 23 September 2009.
14. Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held in Room 144 on Wednesday 16 September 2009.
4.47 p.m. The Chairperson adjourned the meeting.