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

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 26 JANUARY 2011
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

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

Apologies:
Mr Alan Bresland
Mr William Humphrey

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 2.05 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.

Mr Spratt declared an interest in relation to a modest investment in Ocean View Properties.

Meeting with Investors NI

The Chairperson advised Members, that he, the Deputy Chairperson and Mr McElduff met with Investors NI, a group of Northern Ireland residents who have lost a substantial amount of money and are taking legal action in relation to Ocean View Properties and a Spanish property developer .

Mrs Kelly joined the meeting at 2.10 p.m.

Mr McElduff joined the meeting at 2.11 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to encourage the First Minister and deputy First Minister to meet with the group and consider how they and the Executive might support the group in their action.

3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2011

Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 19 January 2011 were agreed by the Committee.

4. Matters Arising

Forecast Out-turn and December Monitoring Outcome

The Committee noted a response from the Department providing details of the forecast out-turn 2010/11 and the outcome of the December Monitoring Round and agreed to raise any issues during the briefing on the February Monitoring Round.

Committee for Finance and Personnel

The Committee considered a copy of a research paper on Preventative Spending provided by the Committee for Finance and Personnel .

Mr Kinahan left the meeting at 2.14 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the research paper on Preventative Spending to the Department for consideration and comment.

Department of Finance and Personnel

The Committee considered a response from the Department of Finance and Personnel providing further information on discussions it has held with the European Commission concerning macro-regional co-operation .

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the response to Mr Mike Smyth, who first raised the issue, for his views.

Draft Response to the Budget 2011

The Committee considered a draft Committee response to the Chairperson of the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the Department’s draft Budget 2011-15 proposals .

Mr Kinahan re-joined the meeting at 2.24 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward an amended response to the Chairperson of the Committee for Finance and Personnel. The Committee also agreed to write to the Department to urgently request a copy of the Department’s Savings Plans and revenue raising ideas in time for the Take Note debate on Monday 31 January 2011.

Northern Ireland Commissioner For Children and Young People

The Committee noted correspondence from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People stating that the Northern Ireland Ombudsman made inaccurate comments during his evidence session on 12 January 2011 . Members agreed that this issue would be raised with the Ombudsman at a later date.

EU Budget Review

The Committee noted correspondence from the Department advising that the Department of Finance and Personnel is the lead Department in relation to EU Budgetary matters.

5. Correspondence

Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the Review into the value and impact of museums in Northern Ireland to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure.

Committee for Finance and Personnel

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel providing information on the progress of the departmental efficiency plans from April to September 2010.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning the Capital Asset Realisation Taskforce to the Strategic Investment Board.

Subsidiarity Alert

The Committee considered a subsidiarity alert in relation to a European Commission Communication on the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the Communication to the Department for its views.

Volunteer Now

The Committee considered a report from Volunteer Now.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the Report to the Department for comment.

6. Armed Forces and Veterans Bill

The Committee considered its draft Report on the Armed Forces and Veterans Bill.

Agreed: The Committee read and agreed paragraphs 1-12: Introduction.