COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY
FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 23 JUNE 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Danny Kennedy (Chairperson)
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr Tom Elliott
Mr Barry McElduff
Mr Francie Molloy
Mr George Robinson
Mr Jimmy Spratt
In Attendance:
Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Keith McBride (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Stephen Magee (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Marion Johnson (Clerical Officer)
Mr Damien Martin (Clerk Assistant) Item 2 only
Apologies:
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mrs Naomi Long
Mr Jim Shannon
The meeting opened in closed session at 2.04 p.m.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Committee Bills
The Committee were briefed by the Clerk Assistant on the process for taking forward a Committee Bill. The Committee also considered correspondence from the Northern Ireland Assembly Ombudsman and Commissioner for Complaints and noted a copy of a letter from the Speaker to the Department concerning the review of the Ombudsman’s Office.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request an urgent briefing from the Department on possible legislation in relation to the Assembly Ombudsman.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a Research Paper from the Assembly’s Research and Library Services on the scope of a possible Bill.
The meeting moved into open session at 2.22 p.m.
3. 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.
Real Fathers for Justice
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he and the Clerk met with representatives from Real Fathers for Justice on Wednesday 16 June 2010 to discuss a number of issues.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking further information on their discussions with Real Fathers for Justice and the outcomes of those meetings.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety concerning issues raised in relation to provision of support agencies and refuges for men suffering from domestic violence. The Committee also agreed to write to the Committee for Justice concerning the issue raised by
Real Fathers for Justice that family law needs to be amended.
Victims and Survivors Forum Service Committee
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he and the Clerk met with representatives from the Victims and Survivors Forum Service Committee on Wednesday 16 June 2010 to discuss a number of issues.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek their views on a number of issues raised by the Victims and Survivors Forum Service Committee.
Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he and the Clerk met with the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association, Mr Glynn Roberts on Wednesday 23 June 2010 to discuss its document “Programme for Prosperity”.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek their views on the relevant recommendations contained within the document. The Committee also agreed to write to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment concerning the issue of better regulation.
FAIR
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he and the Clerk met with Mr Willie Frazer of FAIR on Wednesday 23 June 2010 to discuss a number of issues, including the issue of core-funding for victims and survivors groups.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek their comments on the issues raised by Mr Frazer.
Action Renewables
The Chairperson advised the Committee that Action Renewables has requested to brief the Committee on their work in Europe regarding climate change and energy.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and other interested Members meet with Action Renewables.
4. Draft minutes of the meetings held on 2 June 2010 and 10 June 2010
Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 2 June 2010 and 10 June 2010 were agreed by the Committee.
5. Inquiry into the Consideration of European Issues
Junior Minister Kelly and junior Minister Newton and Departmental officials Dr Gerry Mulligan and Dr Paul Geddis joined the meeting at 2.25 p.m.
Mr Elliott joined the meeting at 2.26 p.m.
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 2.28 p.m.
Junior Ministers briefed the Committee on the First Minister and deputy First Minister’s response to the Committee’s Report on its Inquiry into the Consideration of European Issues. A question and answer session followed.
Junior Minister Kelly and junior Minister Newton and Departmental officials Dr Gerry Mulligan and Dr Paul Geddis left the meeting at 3.21 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to publish the responses from the First Minister and deputy First Minister, the Speaker and the Assembly Commission on the Committee’s webpage.
Agreed: The Committee also agreed to write to the Committee for Finance and Personnel requesting information on whether the Special European Union Programmes Body has been assessed on the role they play as a co-ordinating body.
The Committee noted a copy of a letter from the Committee of the Regions to the Speaker advising that the Northern Ireland Assembly is now a member of the Subsidiarity Monitoring Network of the Committee of the Regions.
6. Commissioner for Older People Bill
The Older People’s Advocate Dame Joan Harbison and Mrs Kate McCullough joined the meeting at 3.23 p.m.
Mr McElduff left the meeting at 3.36 p.m.
The Older People’s Advocate, Dame Joan Harbison briefed the Committee on their response to the Commissioner for Older People Bill. A question and answer session followed.
The Older People’s Advocate Dame Joan Harbison and Mrs Kate McCullough left the meeting at 3.47 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed a motion to seek an extension to the Committee Stage of the Commissioner for Older People Bill to 17 December 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule oral evidence sessions from the Northern Ireland Human rights Commission, Age NI and the Northern Ireland Ombudsman and Commissioner for Complaints on the Commissioner for Older People Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward all substantive submissions to the Department and request a briefing following summer recess on their views on the submissions.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Translink and Northern Ireland Water to invite written evidence on the Commissioner for Older People Bill.
7. Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration
Departmental officials Mr Tim Losty and Miss Evelyn Hoy joined the meeting at 3.55 p.m.
Mr Spratt left the meeting at 4.01 p.m.
Mr McElduff re-joined the meeting at 4.03 p.m.
Departmental officials briefed the Committee on the revised Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration. A question and answer session followed.
Departmental officials Mr Tim Losty and Miss Evelyn Hoy left the meeting at 4.05 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that due to the lateness of receipt of the revised Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration that they would request officials return next week when Members have had the opportunity to consider the revised Programme.
8. Programme for Government Delivery Reports
Departmental officials Mr Tim Losty, Mr Dale Heaney and Mr James McEldowney joined the meeting at 4.07 p.m.
Mr Spratt re-joined the meeting at 4.09 p.m.
Departmental officials briefed the Committee on the Programme for Government Delivery Report up to September 2009. A question and answer session followed.
Departmental officials Mr Tim Losty, Mr Dale Heaney and Mr James McEldowney left the meeting at 4.30 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek further information on the cost of producing the Delivery Report and further information on how the target for minimisation in slippage of Executive Bills is defined. The Committee also agreed that the Chairperson’s speech on the Delivery Report is based on Members discussions and comments.
9. Committee for Finance and Personnel Inquiry into the Role of the Northern Ireland Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure
The Committee noted correspondence from the department advising that officials are unable to brief the Committee on this as Ministers are still considering this issue. The Committee considered each recommendation of the Department for Finance and Personnel’s Review of the Northern Ireland Executive Budget 2008-11 processes.
Mr McElduff left the meeting at 4.33 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed a response to the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning its inquiry.
Mr Spratt left the meeting at 4.40 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee also agreed that it had no comment on the case for enhancing the capacity of the Assembly statutory committees in undertaking budget and financial scrutiny.
10. Matters Arising
Irish Bank Officials Association
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the Department to the Committee for Finance and Personnel advising that Ministers have recently accepted an invitation to meet with the Irish Bank Officials Association.
Ministerial Sub-Committee on Children and Young People
The Committee considered a response from the Department providing copies of the five agreed Action Plans developed under the work programme of the Ministerial Sub-Committee on Children and Young People.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward copies of the Action Plans to all statutory committees.
Trauma Advisory Panels
The Committee noted a response from the Department providing further information on the funding arrangements for the Trauma Advisory Panels.
September Monitoring Round and Budget Process
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning the September Monitoring Round and Departmental Returns.
Agreed: The Committee noted the correspondence concerning the September Monitoring Round and agreed that it would request a briefing from Departmental officials on the Departments spending plans if it meets in July.
Europe 2020 Strategy
The Committee considered a written briefing from the Department for Finance and Personnel on the Europe 2020 Strategy.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to issue the written briefing to all statutory committees for their information.
Europe 2020 Strategy and Legislative and Work Programme
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward written submissions on the Europe 2020 Strategy and the European Commission’s Legislative and Work Programme from Bairbre de Brún MEP and Jim Nicholson MEP to all statutory committees for their information.
European Funding for Research and Development
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Employment and Learning advising that it has written to local universities concerning difficulties in accessing funding.
Claw-back of European Funding
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel providing further information on the claw-back of European funding.
Sunbeds Bill
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety requesting comments on the draft amendments to the Sunbeds Bill.
February Monitoring Round
The Committee noted correspondence from the Department providing further information on the February Monitoring Round proposals.
11. Correspondence
Committee for Employment and Learning
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from junior Ministers to the Committee for Employment and Learning concerning the childcare strategy.
Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the First Minister and deputy first Minister concerning historical child abuse to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the Department concerning the petition for Help of Young Informal Carers to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the First Minister and deputy first Minister concerning Autism Spectrum Disorder to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
Review of Data Security in the Public Sector
The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel providing a copy of the second data protection review.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward to the Department for comment and to seek further information on how they are implementing the recommendations.
Public Accounts Committee
The Committee noted a copy of an invitation from the Public Accounts Committee to the Commissioner for Public Appointments to attend its meeting of 17 June 2010.
European Commission’s Communication on the Rights of the Child
The Committee considered a copy of the European Commission’s Communication on the rights of the Child.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a copy of its Child Poverty report to the European Commission. The Committee agreed to forward the Communication to the Committee for Justice for their consideration. The Committee also agreed to forward to the Department to ascertain how they will consider this communication.
Sustainable Development
The Committee considered correspondence from the Department advising that it is seeking a Transfer of Functions Order in relation to Section 25 of the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006, in relation to sustainable development.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it is content with the Department bringing forward this Order.
Report on Preliminary Inquiry into Public Sector Efficiencies
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel providing information regarding the recommendations of its Report on Preliminary Inquiry into Public Sector Efficiencies.
12. Any Other Business
The Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests Bill
The Committee considered the timetable for consideration of the Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request information on why the Committee has not been in receipt of any responses to the Department’s consultation on the Bill. The Committee also agreed to hold a meeting following the closing date of the consultation to consider its response to the draft Bill.
13. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held in Room 30 on Wednesday 30 June 2010 at 2 p.m.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.45 p.m.
Mr Danny Kennedy
Chairperson,
Committee for the Office of the First Minister
and deputy First Minister