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

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Tom Elliott (Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Alan Bresland
Mr William Humphrey
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mr Francie Molloy
Mr Jimmy Spratt

Apologies:
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr Barry McElduff
Mr George Robinson

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 2.08 p.m.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Chairperson’s Business

Members of the Committee congratulated Mr Elliott following his nomination for Chairperson of the Committee. Members also expressed their thanks to Mr Kennedy for his work as Chairperson of the Committee.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson would write to Mr Kennedy congratulating him on his appointment as Minister for Employment and Learning and to thank him for his work as Chairperson of the Committee.

Declaration of Interests

The Chairperson sought any declarations of interest from Members in relation to items of business being discussed.

3. Draft minutes of the meetings held on 20 October 2010 and 1 November 2010

Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 20 October 2010 and 1 November 2010 were agreed by the Committee.

4. Special EU Programmes Body

Mr Pat Colgan, Mr Shaun Henry and Mr Howard Keery joined the meeting at 2.10 p.m.

Mr Pat Colgan, Chief Executive of the Special EU Programmes Body, Mr Shaun Henry, Managing Authority Director and Mr Howard Keery, Joint Technical Secretariat Director briefed the Committee on the work of the Special EU Programmes Body. A question and answer session followed.

Mrs Kelly declared an interest as a member of Craigavon Borough Council and as a member of the East Border Interreg Partnership.

Mr Humphrey declared an interest as a member of Belfast City Council.

Dr Farry declared an interest as a member of the Board of the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council.

Mr Pat Colgan, Mr Shaun Henry and Mr Howard Keery left the meeting at 3.15 p.m.

5. Child Poverty Alliance

The Child Poverty Alliance joined the meeting at 3.16 p.m.

Representatives of the Child Poverty Alliance, Mr Fergus Cooper from Save the Children, Mrs Marie Cavanagh from Gingerbread, Mrs Alison Loughlin from the Parents Advice Centre and Mr Ross McCrea from Action for Children briefed the Committee on Child Poverty in Northern Ireland. A question and answer session followed.

Mr Humphrey left the meeting at 3.52 p.m.

The Child Poverty Alliance left the meeting at 3.53 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a copy of the paper provided by Barnardo’s and a copy of the Hansard from today’s briefing session to the Department and asking that it also be forwarded to the Executive Child Poverty Sub Group.

6. Lifetime Opportunities Monitoring Framework

Departmental officials joined the meeting at 3.54 p.m.

Mr Humphrey re-joined the meeting at 3.56 p.m.

Departmental officials Mr Tim Losty, Dr Alan McClelland and Mr Michael Woods briefed the Committee on the Lifetime Opportunities Monitoring Framework. A question and answer session followed.

Mr Spratt declared an interest as a member of the Policing Board.

Departmental officials left the meeting at 4.22 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for further

Information on the Report

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a copy of the Lifetime Opportunities Monitoring Framework to all statutory committees for information.

7. Matters Arising

Review of the North South Implementation Bodies

The Committee considered a response from the Department concerning issues the Committee had raised in relation to what areas of co-operation had been developed under the Terms of Reference of the Review of the North South Implementation Bodies and what steps had been taken to making cross border co-operation more effective.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek further information on the timescale for completion of the consultation process and when the Department hope to report on the outcome from both jurisdictions to the Committee.

Committee for Finance and Personnel

The Committee noted a response from the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning the Department for Finance and Personnel’s response to the European Commission Communication on the Rights of the Child.

Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration

The Committee considered a number of responses to the Department’s consultation on the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration from the Committee for Employment and Learning, the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council and the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities.

Dr Farry declared an interest as a member of the Board of the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the Committee for Employment and Learning’s response to the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule briefings from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council and the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities on their responses to the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration after it has been briefed by Departmental officials on the responses to the consultation.

8. Correspondence

Commissioner for Older People Bill

The Committee noted correspondence from the Department outlining three proposed amendments to the Commissioner for Older People Bill following advice from the Attorney General.

Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning funding for Special Olympics Ulster to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure.

Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration

The Committee noted a copy of a request from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure to the Department to extend the submission date for its response to the Department’s consultation on the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration.

Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland

The Committee considered copies of the Investing Activity Report for October 2010 for all departments from the Strategic Investment Board.

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

NICS Live

The Committee considered an invitation from the Head of the Civil Service to attend the NICS Live event in the Waterfront Hall on Tuesday 16 November 2010. Members agreed they would advise the Committee Office of their availability to attend.

Scottish Parliament’s European and External Affairs Committee

The Committee noted a copy of correspondence from the Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s European and External affairs Committee to the Chairperson of the House of Lords European Committee concerning subsidiarity.

Committee for Public Appointments

The Committee considered a request from the Commissioner for Public Appointments to brief the Committee on recommendations contained for the Department in relation to Public Appointments. Members agreed to consider the request again at next week’s meeting.

9. Any Other Business

None

10. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held in Room 30 on Wednesday 10 November 2010 at 2 p.m.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.31 p.m.

Mr Tom Elliott
Chairperson,
Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

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