COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY
FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 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 Francie Molloy
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)
Ms Eilis Haughey (Bill Clerk)
The meeting opened at 2.03 p.m. in public session
1. Apologies
Mr Barry McElduff.
2. Chairperson’s Business
Committee Room 30
The Chairperson advised Members that the Chairperson’s Liaison Group had agreed that this Committee would have the opportunity to use the new Committee Room 30. The Chairperson advised that from next week the Committee would meet in Room 30 at the usual time.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 30 September 2009
Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 30 September 2009 were agreed by the Committee.
2.05 p.m. Ms Anderson joined the meeting.
4. Executive’s draft European Action Plan 2009/10 and Priorities for European Engagement 2008/09 End of Year Report
2.06 p.m. Departmental officials, Mr John McMillen, Dr Paul Geddis and Mrs Sorcha McCafferty joined the meeting.
2.14 p.m. Mrs Long joined the meeting.
Departmental officials briefed the Committee on the Executive’s draft European Action Plan 2009/10; the Committee was also briefed on the Priorities for European Engagement 2008/09 End of Year Report. A question and answer session followed. Departmental Officials agreed to provide a breakdown of the civil servants seconded to the various European institutions.
2.41 p.m. Departmental officials left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider a response to the Department on Executive’s draft European Action Plan 2009/10 at next week’s meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the research paper on subsidiarity be re-issued to Members.
5. Department of Justice Bill
The Committee considered the written submission from the Assembly and Executive Review Committee on the Department of Justice Bill. The Committee discussed the clauses contained in the Department of Justice Bill.
2.53 p.m. Mr Elliott joined the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to complete its formal clause-by-clause scrutiny of the Bill at next week’s meeting and to consider a draft report at its meeting of 21 October 2009.
Agreed: The Committee agreed there was no need to seek an extension to the Committee Stage of the Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to request a briefing, in closed session, on the financial package for policing and justice, when it has been agreed.
6. Matters arising
Gender Equality Strategy
The Committee considered a paper which highlighted the issues that arose during the course of the Committee’s consideration of the Gender Equality Strategy.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the issues should be forwarded to the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
Programme for Government Delivery Report
The Committee considered a draft response to the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the Programme for Government Delivery Report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the response to the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
3.16 p.m. Mr Spratt left the meeting.
Redevelopment of the Maze/Long Kesh Site
The Committee noted the response from the Department providing clarification in relation to the redevelopment of the Maze/Long Kesh site.
Devolution of Policing and Justice Matters
The Committee noted the copy of the letter from the First Minister and deputy First Minister to the Chairperson of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee concerning the devolution of policing and justice matters.
Departmental Revenue from the Proceeds of Crime
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the Department to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure concerning revenue from the proceeds of crime.
Funding for After School Childcare
The Committee considered the response from the Department concerning funding for after school childcare.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek further information on the criteria used to secure funding and to request to be notified when funding had been approved.
Commissioner for Older People
The Committee noted the letter from the Department advising that the public consultation on the Commissioner for Older People policy proposals was launched on 1 October 2009.
Research note on Commissioner for Older People
The Committee considered the research note from the Assembly’s Research and Library Services on the model for the Office of the Commissioner for Older People.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request further research.
Commissioner for Older People
The Committee noted the response from Age Concern, Help the Aged and the Age Sector Platform in relation to the draft policy proposals for the Commissioner for Older People.
Autism Legislation
The Committee considered a letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety concerning proposed Autism legislation.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public safety a copy of a letter from the Department concerning the issue of Autism legislation.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to circulate a copy of the report of the Independent Review of Autism Services and then consider how it wishes to proceed.
European Issues
The Committee considered a response from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment regarding issues with a European dimension.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment seeking further information on the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s role in relation to EU State Aid rules and policy and to seek further details on the applications for the EU Sustainable Competitiveness Programme 2007-13.
Gender Equality
The Committee noted the response from the Committee for Education, which provided a progress report on the Department’s work on gender equality.
Equality Commission’s Disability Code of Practice
The Committee considered the draft Code of Practice relating to the proposed Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to highlight concerns that the onus is on the passenger to complain and how this will be monitored.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that when the Code of Practice has been finalised that a copy of the Code of Practice will be sent to the Omnibus Partnership for their information.
Tax Credits
The Committee considered a response from the Department concerning Child Tax Credits.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request that the issue of cross border childcare services be considered at the British-Irish Council and to request that the Department consider if there are any issues at a European level regarding cross-border childcare.
7. Correspondence
Consideration of European Issues
The Committee noted a copy of a letter from the Speaker to the Chair of SDLP Youth concerning the Committee’s consideration of EU issues.
Nominations to the Committee of the Regions
The Committee noted a copy of a letter from the Speaker to the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning nominations to the Committee of the Regions.
Financial Inclusion
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a letter from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning a strategy for financial inclusion.
8. Forward Work Programme
Members considered the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for October.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson and deputy Chairperson should seek a meeting with the First Minister and deputy First Minister to discuss the Committee’s Forward Work Programme.
9. Any other Business
Committee for Finance and Personnel’s Inquiry into Public Procurement Policy and Practice in Northern Ireland.
The Committee agreed to the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s request to publish its response on the inquiry.
3.38 p.m. The meeting moved into closed session.
3.39 p.m. Mr Moutray left the meeting.
10. Economic Research and Policy Challenge
The Committee considered a letter from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the future provision of economic research and policy challenge.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a research paper on economic research and policy challenge.
11. Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held in Room 30 on Wednesday 14 October 2009 at 2 p.m.
3.53 p.m. The Chairperson adjourned the meeting.