COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY
FIRST MINISTER

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 6 OCTOBER 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Danny Kennedy (Chairperson)
Mr Stephen Farry (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr William Humphrey
Mr Barry McElduff
Mr George Robinson

Apologies:
Mr Alan Bresland
Mr Tom Elliott
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mt 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)

The meeting opened in public session at 2.00 p.m.

1. Apologies

As 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.

Change in Committee Membership

The Chairperson welcomed Mr William Humphrey to the Committee and wished him well in his new position.

Mr Humphrey declared his interests as those that will be submitted to the Assembly’s Register of Interests.

Agreed: The Chairperson agreed to write to the outgoing member Mr Trevor Clarke MLA, to express the Committee’s thanks for his work on the Committee.

Mr McElduff joined the meeting at 2.05 p.m.

Role and Remit of the Committee

The Chairperson reminded Members that the Committee’s role is to scrutinise the work of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister and not the work of the Executive.

3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2010

Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 29 September 2010 were agreed by the Committee.

4. Child Poverty Strategy

Departmental officials joined the meeting at 2.07 p.m.

Departmental officials Ms Patricia Carey and Mr Paul Galway provided the committee with an update in relation to the development of the Child Poverty Strategy. A question and answer session followed.

Departmental officials left the meeting at 2.52 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a copy of the Hansard from today’s meeting to the Department for their consideration.

5. Matters Arising

Review of North South Bodies

The Committee considered a response from the Department concerning the review of North-South Bodies.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider this issue further when the Committee visits the offices of the North South Ministerial Council.

Maze/Long Kesh Update

The Committee noted an update report from the Department on the Maze/Long Kesh regeneration programme.

Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development

The Committee noted a memo from the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development concerning the European Commission’s Communication on the Rights of the Child.

Committee for Justice

The Committee noted a response from the Committee for Justice concerning the European Commission’s Communication on the Rights of the Child.

Department of Finance and Personnel

The Committee noted a response from the Department of Finance and Personnel advising that it is content for officials from the Central Procurement Directorate to brief the Committee on the procurement process.

September Monitoring Outcome

The Committee noted a response from the Department providing information on the outcome of the September Monitoring Round and the 2010/11 Forecast Out-turn position.

Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland

The Committee considered copies of the Investing Activity Report for all departments from the Strategic Investment Board.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward each Departmental Report to each of the relevant statutory committees for their information.

Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment

The Committee considered a response from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment providing a breakdown by region of UK funding from the EU Framework Programme 7.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a research paper from the Assembly’s Research and Library Service comparing across regions and how the Republic of Ireland have set targets and identified partners in relation to funding from Framework Programme 7.

Resource Accounts

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for Finance and Personnel to request details of all departments’ expenditure for 2009/10, including underspend and overspend and the Northern Ireland Civil Service average figures for comparison purposes.

6. Correspondence

Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure

The Committee considered a request from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure to forward a letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the Special Olympics Ulster.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister and agreed that it supports in principle the contents of the letter.

Default Retirement Age

The Committee noted correspondence from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the UK Government’s consultation on phasing out the default retirement age.

Committee for Finance and Personnel

The Committee considered a response from the Committee for Finance and Personnel providing further information on the Special EU Programmes Body.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to raise the issue when it is briefed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

British Council

The Committee considered a request from the British Council to brief the Committee on how it can support the Department’s international aspirations.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule into its Forward Work Programme a briefing with the British Council.

Ofcom

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward letters from the Department to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure concerning Ofcom.

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 the North South Feasibility Report and Desertcreat Training College to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

7. Any Other Business

Committee Consultation

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the previous Northern Ireland Ombudsmen to seek their views on the Committee consultation on proposals to reform the Office of the Ombudsman.

Property Fraud in Europe

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing with the regionally based committee Investors Northern Ireland in relation to property fraud in Europe.

Memorial Fund

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek further information on the current status of funding to the Memorial Fund.

Visit to Grove Well-Being Centre

The Chairperson reminded Members of the visit to Grove Well-Being Centre at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday 13 October 2010.

8. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held in Room 30 on Wednesday 20 October 2010 at 2 p.m.

• The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.13 p.m.

Mr Danny Kennedy
Chairperson,
Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

29 September 10  / Menu