COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY
FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2010
ROOM 30, 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)
Apologies:
Mr Barry McElduff
The meeting opened in closed session with the Deputy Chairperson in the Chair at 2.02 p.m.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
Committee’s Role and Remit
The Head of the Assembly’s Legal Services advised Members of its role and remit in relation to scrutiny of the Department.
Ms Anderson joined the meeting at 2.05 p.m.
Mr Elliott joined the meeting at 2.06 p.m.
Mr Kennedy joined the meeting and took the Chair at 2.07 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to request further information on legal advice sought and the nature of the inquiry being undertaken.
The meeting moved to public session at 2.21 p.m.
Declaration of Interests
The Chairperson sought any declarations of interest from Members in relation to items of business being discussed. There were no disclosures.
EC-UK Forum
The Chairperson advised Members that he and the Clerk attended a meeting of the EC-UK Forum in the House of Lords on Monday 18 January. The papers relating to the meeting have been forwarded to Members for information.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 13 January 2010
Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 13 January 2010 were agreed by the Committee.
4. Revised Departmental Expenditure Plan 2010-11
The Chairperson advised Members that the revised Departmental Expenditure Plan would not be considered at this week’s meeting as the Plan had not yet been approved by Ministers. This will be rescheduled for consideration at next week’s meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group to convey its frustration at delays in receipt of financial papers from the Department.
5. Membership of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions
Departmental officials Ms Evelyn Cummins and Ms Colette Fitzgerald joined the meeting at 2.25 p.m.
Departmental officials briefed the Committee on the Executive’s Membership of the Conference of the Peripheral Maritime Regions and on other possible networking opportunities. A question and answer session followed.
Mr Elliott left the meeting at 2.42 p.m.
The officials left the meeting at 2.48 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider this issue again following receipt of a research paper on the work of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions.
6. Commissioner for Older People
Departmental officials Dr Gerry Mulligan, Mr Stephen Orr, Mrs Jane Corderoy and Mr Chris McCafferty joined the meeting at 2.50 p.m.
Departmental officials briefed the Committee on an interim factual consultation report on the Commissioner for Older People Draft Bill. A question and answer session followed. Officials undertook to provide the Committee with copies of the late submissions. The Committee is to revisit this matter next week.
Ms Anderson left the meeting at 3.00 p.m.
Mr Moutray left the meeting at 3.08 p.m.
Mr Elliott rejoined the meeting at 3.24 p.m.
The officials left the meeting at 3.27 p.m.
7. Sustainable Development Strategy
Departmental officials Mr Damian Prince, Mr Jim Sutherland and Mr John Bradley joined the meeting at 3.28 p.m.
Departmental officials briefed the Committee on the interim consultation report on the Draft Sustainable Development Strategy. Officials undertook to provide the Committee with a copy of the final report.
The officials left the meeting at 3.32 p.m.
8. Consultation on Victims and Survivors Service
The Committee considered further information provided by the Department on the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council Conference and the other consultation events.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider options for taking oral evidence on the Victims and Survivors Service at next week’s meeting.
9. The Fair Employment (Specification of Public Authorities)(Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009
The Committee considered the Fair Employment (Specification of Public Authorities)(Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 S.R. 2009/405 and the Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
Agreed: That the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister has considered the Fair Employment (Specification of Public Authorities)(Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 S.R. 2009/405 and has no objection to the rule.
10. The Race Relations Order (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009
The Committee considered the Race Relations Order (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 S.R. 2009/410 and the Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
Agreed: That the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister has considered the Race Relations Order (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 S.R. 2009/410 and has no objection to the rule.
11. The Employment Equality (Age)(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009
The Committee considered the Employment Equality (Age)(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 S.R. 2009/425 and the Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
Agreed: That the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister has considered the Employment Equality (Age)(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 S.R. 2009/425 and has no objection to the rule.
12. The Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009
The Committee considered the Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 S.R. 2009/428 and the Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
Agreed: That the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister has considered the Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicles) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 S.R. 2009/428 and has no objection to the rule.
13. Matters arising
Press release
Agreed: The Committee agreed a press release to highlight the launch of it European report. The Committee also agreed to pre-release copies of its Report to the Speaker, the Assembly Commission, Chairpersons of statutory committees, the First Minister and deputy First Minister and the Department. Members agreed that the Chairperson would open the debate and the Deputy Chairperson would close the debate.
Departmental Performance on Answering Written Assembly Questions
The Committee noted the response from the Department concerning its performance on answering written questions.
PSA Targets
The Committee considered a request from the Chairperson of the Committee for the Environment to attend a meeting concerning the Sustainable Development Implementation Plan.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson attend a meeting with the Chairpersons of the Committee for the Environment and the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Guidance on Sustainable Development Duty
The Committee considered a letter from the Committee for the Environment concerning the current status of guidance on the Sustainable Development Duty for Local Government.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting further information on the status of the guidance on the Sustainable Development Duty for Local Government and if any guidance has been produced.
European Issues
The Committee noted the response from the Committee for Education providing further information on its engagement on European issues.
Lifelong Learning for Older People Event
The Committee noted the letter from the Committee for Employment and Learning providing further information on its Lifelong Learning for Older People Event.
Investment Strategy Progress Report
The Committee noted the response from the Strategic Investment Board providing further information on current projects and a comparison with the position in 2008/09.
Programme for Government Delivery Report
The Committee noted a letter from the Department advising that the Take Note Debate on the Programme for Government Delivery Report would be rescheduled to include the half-year report to September 2009.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a letter from the Department to the Committee for the Environment advising of this.
14. Correspondence
Monitoring of Post Project Evaluations
The Committee considered an update from the Committee for Finance and Personnel on outstanding Post Project Evaluations.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek further information on the outstanding Post Project Evaluations.
Real Fathers for Justice
The Committee considered and noted correspondence from Real Fathers for Justice.
Mr Attwood left the meeting at 3.52 p.m.
15. Any other Business
Barnardo’s Child Poverty Briefing
The Committee considered a request from Barnardo’s to brief the Committee on a number of issues in relation to child poverty.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and any interested Members would meet with Barnardo’s to be briefed on this issue.
16. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held in Room 30 on Wednesday 27 January at 2 p.m.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.53 p.m.