COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY
FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2009
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Danny Kennedy (Chairperson)
Mrs Naomi Long (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Tom Elliott
Mr Barry McElduff
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)
Mr Tim Moore Assembly Research and Library Services (Item 7 only)
Apologies:
Mr Stephen Moutray
The meeting opened at 2.06 p.m. in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
Declaration of Interests
The Chairperson sought any declarations of interest from Members in relation to items of business being discussed. There were no disclosures.
National Lottery Forum
The Committee considered the invitation to attend the 15 th Anniversary of the National Lottery on 3 December 2009 at the Ulster Museum. Members agreed to notify the Committee Secretariat of their availability to attend.
Meeting with the First Minister and deputy First Minister
The Chairperson provided Members with an update on the meeting that he, the Deputy Chairperson and the Clerk attended with the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the Departments upcoming work.
Forward Work Programme
Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite the Junior Ministers to brief the Committee on the work of the Department in relation to Child Poverty after Christmas recess. The Committee also agreed to invite the Commissioner for Children and Young People and the All Party Assembly Group to brief the Committee on Child Poverty.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite officials to brief the Committee and to provide an update on the Department’s regeneration sites.
Review of Strategic Investment Board
The Chairperson advised Members that he and the Deputy Chairperson will be meeting with the consultants undertaking the review of the Strategic Investment Board who will provide an update on the Review.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2009
Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 18 November 2009 were agreed by the Committee.
4. December Monitoring Round
Mr Elliott joined the meeting at 2.16 p.m.
Departmental officials Mrs Jackie Kerr and Mr Iain McFarlane joined the meeting at 2.16 p.m.
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 2.18 p.m.
Ms Anderson joined the meeting at 2.35 p.m.
Departmental officials briefed the Committee on the Department’s proposals for the December Monitoring Round. A question and answer session followed. Departmental officials undertook to provide further information on a number of issues raised.
The officials left the meeting at 2.50 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to express Members frustration at the late receipt of the December Monitoring Round and to seek reasons for the delay.
5. Strategic Investment and Regeneration of Sites Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009
The Committee considered the draft Strategic Investment and Regeneration of Sites Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Question put and agreed:
The Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister has considered the Strategic Investment and Regeneration of Sites Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly.
6. Promoting Social Inclusion Report on Disability
The Committee considered the Promoting Social Inclusion report on Disability .
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing from Departmental officials on the Promoting Social Inclusion Report on Disability at its meeting of 6 January 2010 .
7. Subsidiarity Check.
Tim Moore, Senior Researcher briefed the Committee on an aide-memoire for the subsidiarity check under the provisions of the Treaty of Lisbon on the Commission proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and authentic instruments in matters of succession and the creation of a European certificate of Succession . The Committee agreed to respond advising that it had no comment to make.
Mr McElduff left the meeting at 3.01 p.m.
8. Matters arising
Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the Department concerning the disability discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations to the Committee for the Environment and the Committee for Regional Development.
Appointments to the Strategic Investment Board
The Committee noted the response from the Department advising that Ministers have approved the appointment of four persons as non-executive directors to the Strategic Investment Board.
Cost of Insurance
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning the cost of insurance in Northern Ireland to the First Minister and deputy First Minister
Cross-Sector Advisory Forum
The Committee noted the copy of the minutes of the third meeting of the Cross-Sector Advisory Forum held on 7 October 2009.
9. Correspondence
ERINI Annual Report and End of Year Accounts
The Committee noted the Economic Research Institute of Northern Ireland’s Annual Report and End of Year Accounts 2008/09.
Mr McElduff rejoined the meeting at 3.12 p.m.
10. Any other Business
None
The meeting moved into closed session at 3.14 p.m.
11. Consideration of draft European Report
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 1-15 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 16 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 17-22 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 23 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 24 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 25 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 26-30 of the draft report.
The meeting was suspended at 3.30 p.m.
The meeting resumed at 3.45 p.m.
Mr Kennedy, Mrs Long, Ms Anderson, Mr Robinson, Mr Shannon and Mr Spratt were present.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson would raise the timing of the fire drill with the Clerk/Director General of the Assembly.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 31 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee deferred consideration of paragraph 32 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Action 1 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Action 2 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 33 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Action 3 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 34 of the draft report.
Mr Elliott joined the meeting at 3.51 p.m.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 35 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Action 4 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 36 of the draft report.
Mr Shannon left the meeting at 3.53 p.m.
The Committee considered and agreed Action 5 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 37-38 of the draft report.
Mr Shannon rejoined the meeting at 3.57 p.m.
The Committee considered and agreed Action 6 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 39-40 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Action 7 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee deferred consideration of paragraph 41 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 42-43 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Action 8 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Action 9 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 44 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed to delete Action 10 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 45-47 of the draft report.
The Committee deferred consideration of Action 11 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 48-51 of the draft report.
The Committee deferred consideration of Action 12 of the draft report.
Mr Shannon left the meeting at 4.08 p.m.
The Committee deferred consideration of paragraphs 52-53 of the draft report.
The Committee deferred consideration of Action 13 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 54-55 of the draft report.
Mr Elliott left the meeting at 4.20 p.m.
The Committee deferred consideration of Recommendation 1 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 56 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendation 2 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 57-62 of the draft report.
Mr Elliott rejoined the meeting at 4.26 p.m.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendation 3 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 63-65 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed to move paragraph 66 of the report to the section for the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendation 4 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendation 5 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed a second paragraph 66 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 67 of the draft report.
The Committee deferred consideration of Recommendation 6 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 68 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendations 7-8 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 69-74 of the draft report.
The Committee deferred consideration of Recommendation 9 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 75-76 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendation 10 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 77 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendation 11 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 78 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendation 12 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraphs 79-81 of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendation 13 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed paragraph 82 as amended of the draft report.
The Committee considered and agreed Recommendation 14 of the draft report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward issues raised during evidence sessions which did not fit into the inquiry’s Terms of Reference to the Department for consideration.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward issues raised during evidence sessions which were outside the remit of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to the other relevant statutory committees for consideration.
11. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held in Room 30 on Wednesday 9 December 2009 at 2 p.m.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.55 p.m.