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

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Tom Elliott (Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr Alan Bresland
Mr William Humphrey
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mr Danny Kinahan
Mr Barry McElduff
Mr George Robinson
Mr Jimmy Spratt

Apologies:
None

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 2.03 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 Danny Kinahan to the Committee and wished him well in his new position.

Mr Kinahan declared his interests as those that have been submitted to the Assembly’s Register of Interests.

3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2010

Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 3 November 2010 were agreed by the Committee.

4. European Issues

Mrs Jane Morrice and Mr Mike Smyth joined the meeting at 2.05 p.m.
Mr Spratt joined the meeting at 2.07 p.m.
Mr McElduff joined the meeting at 2.08 p.m.
Mr McElduff left the meeting at 2.20 p.m.
Mrs Kelly joined the meeting at 2.33 p.m.
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 2.45 p.m.
Mr Spratt left the meeting at 2.56 p.m.

Mrs Jane Morrice and Mr Mike Smyth, Northern Ireland’s representatives on the European Economic and Social Committee briefed the Committee on European Issues as part of the committee’s ongoing engagement in Europe. A question and answer session followed.

Mrs Jane Morrice and Mr Mike Smyth left the meeting at 3.15 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for Finance and Personnel concerning its engagement with the
European Investment Bank.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request further information on Minister’s and the Department’s discussions with the European Commission concerning Northern Ireland’s role in the North Sea and Channel Region and macro-regional co-operation.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for Employment and Learning to highlight some of the issues raised during the evidence session in relation to uptake of the ERASMUS programme and that they may wish to invite Jane Morrice and Mike Smyth, Northern Ireland’s representatives on the European Economic and Social Committee, to brief the Committee.

5. Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration

Mr Spratt re-joined the meeting at 3.14 p.m.
Mr Matthew McDermott, Ms Etain O’Kane, Ms Gillian Clifford and Mr Simon McClenahan joined the meeting at 3.15 p.m.
Mr Robinson left the meeting at 3.43 p.m.
Mr Humphrey left the meeting at 3.55 p.m.

Mr Matthew McDermott from the Rainbow Project, Ms Etain O’Kane from the Lesbian Advocacy Services Initiative, Ms Gillian Clifford from the Women’s Aid Federation and Mr Simon McClenahan from Disability Action briefed the Committee on the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration consultation document. A question and answer session followed.

Mr Matthew McDermott, Ms Etain O’Kane, Ms Gillian Clifford and Mr Simon McClenahan left the meeting at 4.06 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request an update on the Equality Impact Assessment for the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration consultation document.

Mr Bresland left the meeting at 4.07 p.m.

6. Update on Child Poverty

A Researcher from the Assembly’s Research and Library Service provided the Committee with a briefing on Child Poverty. A question and answer session followed.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to reschedule the briefing from junior Ministers on Child Poverty until 24 November 2010 to allow Members the opportunity to consider the draft Child Poverty Strategy, which is due to be issued by the Department to the Committee next Monday or Tuesday.

7. Armed Forces and Veterans Bill

The Committee considered a timetable for Committee Stage of the Armed Forces and Veterans Bill and a motion to extend the Committee Stage of the Bill. Sinn Fein stated that they will be opposing the Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed the timetable for the Committee Stage of the Armed Forces and Veterans Bill. The Committee also agreed a motion to extend the Committee Stage of the Armed Forces and Veterans Bill.

Mrs Kelly left the meeting at 4.25 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite Mr David McNarry MLA to brief the Committee on the Armed Forces and Veterans Bill.

8. Matters Arising

Resource Accounts 2009/10

The Committee considered a response from the Department providing further information in relation to the Department’s Resource Accounts 2009/10.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that Departmental officials go through the response at its meeting on 24 November 2010, when the Committee is considering the December Monitoring Round.

9. Correspondence

Committee for Regional Development

The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Regional Development.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to the request for an extension to the deadline for responding to the Play and Leisure Implementation Plan and the Armed Forces and Veterans Bill.

Committee for Regional Development

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Regional Development concerning the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council’s response to the consultation on the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration.

Outcome of the UK Spending Review Budget 2011-15

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning the outcome of the UK Spending Review Budget 2011-15.

Commissioner 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.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule in a briefing from the Commissioner for Public Appointments into the Forward work Programme.

Barnardo’s

The Committee considered a request from Barnardo’s to brief the Committee on its paper: Protecting the Most Vulnerable Children in a Time of Public Spending Austerity.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and any interested Members would meet with Barnardo’s and Save the Children on 24 November 2010.

Committee for Finance and Personnel

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning the Strategic Investment Board to the Department.

10. Any Other Business

None

11. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held in Room 30 on Wednesday 17 November 2010 at 2 p.m.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.38 p.m.

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

03 November 10  / Menu