COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY
FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 23 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 Stephen Moutray
Mr George Robinson
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 2.13 p.m. in public session
1. Apologies
Mr Barry McElduff, Mr Francie Molloy.
2. Chairperson’s Business
Meeting with Equality Committees
The Chairperson reminded Members that the meeting with the Scottish and Welsh Equality Committees is taking place at 10 a.m. on Monday 28 September 2009 in Room 21. The Chairperson requested that if Members wished to attend the evening meal with the Scottish Equal Opportunity Committee, they should let the Clerk know.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2009
Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 16 September 2009 were agreed by the Committee.
4. Gender Equality Strategy
2.17 p.m. Departmental Officials, Dr Gerry Mulligan and Mrs Eileen Sung joined the meeting.
Departmental Officials briefed the Committee on the work of the Gender Advisory Panel.
2.22 p.m. Departmental Officials left the meeting.
2.22 p.m. Representatives of the Gender Advisory Panel joined the meeting.
Representatives of the Gender Advisory Panel, Mrs Patricia Haren, Mrs Bronagh Hinds, Mr Michael Lynch and Mrs Margaret Ward briefed the Committee on the Gender Equality Strategy. This was followed by a question and answer session.
2.51 p.m. Mr Moutray left the meeting.
3.06 p.m. Representatives of the Gender Advisory Panel left the meeting.
3.07 p.m. Departmental Officials, Dr Gerry Mulligan and Mrs Eileen Sung joined the meeting.
A question and answer session on the Gender Equality Strategy took place.
3.32 p.m. Departmental Officials left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department stating it was content for the Department to publish the Departmental Action Plans for the Gender Equality Strategy.
5. Programme for Government Delivery Report
3.34 p.m. Departmental Officials, Mr Colin Jack and Dr Gerry Mulligan joined the meeting.
Departmental Officials briefed the Committee on the Programme for Government Delivery Report and specifically on the Gender Pay Gap and Child Poverty targets. A question and answer session took place. Departmental Officials undertook to provide the Committee with further information on the Gender Pay Gap and to provide a paper on Child Poverty targets.
4.00 p.m. Mr Spratt left the meeting.
4.02 p.m. Departmental Officials left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting information on how the Programme for Government targets were decided and for further information on the remit and work of the Delivery Boards/Committees.
Agreed: The Committee also agreed to request further statistical information from the Department on child poverty levels in the United Kingdom, Scotland and Wales compared to Northern Ireland.
6. Matters arising
Priorities for European Engagement 08/09 End of Year Report
The Committee considered the Priorities for European Engagement 08/09 End of Year Report provided by the Department. The Committee will be briefed on this and the Priorities for European Engagement 09/10 Action Plan in the coming weeks.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the Priorities for European Engagement 08/09 End of Year Report to all statutory committees for them to take forward with their relevant departments.
Tribunal reform
The Committee noted a response from the Committee for Employment and Learning, which included a response from the Law Centre concerning proposals for Tribunal Reform.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the letter from the Committee for Employment and Learning to the Department.
Childcare Voucher Scheme
The Committee considered the response from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the Childcare Voucher Scheme. The Committee will follow up with the Department at a later stage.
Rehabilitation of Offenders
The Committee noted the response from the Department on the rehabilitation of offenders.
Disability Action Plan
The Committee noted the Departments revised version of its Disability Action Plan 2008-2011.
Drawdown and allocation of funding from the European Investment Bank
The Committee considered a written briefing provided by the Department on the drawdown and allocation of funding for small Medium Size Enterprises from the European Investment Bank.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking clarity on the process of Small Medium Size Enterprises being allocated funding from the European Investment Bank, and specifically the problems and delays some of the banks in Northern Ireland are experiencing in drawing down funds from the European Investment Bank.
4.11 p.m. Mr Elliott left the meeting.
Digital Britain Report
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the Department to the Chairperson of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure concerning the Digital Britain Report.
4.13 p.m. Mr Spratt rejoined the meeting.
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child
The Committee considered a letter from the Department providing information on the draft priorities for Northern Ireland, following the concluding observations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that Members should forward any views on the priorities to the Committee Secretariat for Friday 25 September 2009.
Sustainable Development Strategy
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request research from the Assembly’s Research and Library Services on the draft Sustainable Development Strategy.
7. Correspondence
Assembly Ombudsman
The Committee considered the proposed Statutory Rule for the Annual Salary increase for the Assembly Ombudsman.
Agreed: The Committee were content with the proposed Statutory Rule.
Public Appointments
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a letter concerning public appointments from the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee to the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Committee noted the Department of Regional Development’s Baseline Report for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Road Transport.
Programme for Government Delivery Report
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a letter concerning the date for the debate of the Programme for Government Delivery Report from the Chairperson of the Committee for the Environment to the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
8. Forward Work Programme
Members considered the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for September and October.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking further information on the current position of the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration for a Shared and Better Future, if the Department are pursuing one single document and when can the Committee expect to have sight of the completed draft document.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a research paper from the Assembly’s Research and Library Services on older people falling into the poverty trap.
9. Any other Business
None
10. European Report
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule in an additional meeting to enable them to consider the report in full.
11. Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held in Room 144 on Wednesday 30 September 2009 at 2 p.m.
4.26 p.m. The Chairperson adjourned the meeting.