Present:
Mr Edwin Poots MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs Jnr MLA
Mrs Eileen Bell
Dr Esmond Birnie MLA
Mr Fred Cobain MLA
Mr David Ervine MLA
Mr Alex Maskey MLA
Mr Conor Murphy MLA
Mr Alasdair McDonnell MLA
Mr Eugene McMenamin MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA

In Attendance:
Mrs Debbie Pritchard (Principal Committee Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis
Mr Tim Moore
Ms Laurie Roberts

Apologies:
Mr Oliver Gibson MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Annie Courtney MLA
Ms Michelle Gildernew MLA
Mr James Leslie MLA
Ms Patricia Lewsley MLA

1. Apologies

The apologies are listed above.

2. Chairperson's Business

The Chairperson introduced Mr Tim Moore, Assembly Research and Library Services to the Committee. The Chairperson also informed members that he would meet Dame Rennie Fritchie, Commissioner for Public Appointments on 5 February 2001.

Mrs Bell joined the meeting at 2.14pm.

3. Approval of draft minutes of previous proceedings

The minutes, as amended, were agreed and signed by the Chairperson.

4. Matters arising

Visit to BT on 7 February 2001. The Chairperson asked members to inform Committee staff as soon as possible whether they would be attending the BT visit. It was agreed that a researcher should accompany the Committee.

Draft Report on the Electronic Communications Bill. The Committee agreed the Report on the Electronic Communications Bill and ordered it to be printed.

Action: Clerk

It was agreed to withdraw the precautionary motion lodged with the Business Office seeking a short extension to the Committee Stage of the Bill.

Action: Clerk

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. The Committee noted the reply from Mr Hugh Widdis to Mr Roy Beggs' question at the Committee meeting on 24 January 2001.

5. Correspondence

The Committee noted the response from OFMDFM regarding the delineation of responsibilities between the Victims Unit and the Victims Liaison Unit. Mrs Bell informed the Committee that she had attended a seminar on Victims' issues arranged by OFMDFM, and suggested that members should have been invited. It was agreed that OFMDFM should be asked why Committee members had not been invited.

Action: Clerk

Mr Murphy joined the meeting at 2.18pm.
Mr Cobain joined the meeting at 2.18pm.
Mr Ervine joined the meeting at 2.19pm.

6. Proposed Committee visit to USA

The evidence session began at 2.20pm. Mr Alan Barr and Mr William Stuart from the Transitional Programme gave an overview of the proposals for the visit to Boston and Washington.

Mr Maskey joined the meeting at 2.38pm.
The officials left the meeting at 2.48pm.

The members considered the dates of the visit - either March 2001 or May/June 2001. Three members voted for the visit to take place in March, six members voted to postpone the visit until May/June and 2 members did not vote for either date. It was therefore decided to postpone the visit until lateMay/early June 2001. The Committee agreed that the Chairperson should decide how many members of Committee staff should accompany the members.

Mr Murphy left the meeting at 2.54pm.

7. Evidence on Community Relations Unit

The evidence session began at 2.55pm. Evidence on the Community Relations Unit was taken from Mr Chris Stewart and Mr Denis Ritchie of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 3.14pm.
Mr Ervine left the meeting at 3.14pm.
Mr Maskey left the meeting at 3.25pm.
Mr Cobain left the meeting at 3.25pm.
The officials left the meeting at 3.44pm.
Dr Birnie left the meeting at 3.45pm.

8. Evidence from Northern Ireland Community Relations Council

The evidence session began at 3.45pm. Evidence on the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council was taken from Dr Jonathan Bardon, Mr Will Glendinning and Mr Paul Lynch.

Mr Shannon left the meeting at 4.17pm.

The officials left the meeting at 4.32pm.

9. Any other business

Statutory Rules. The Chairperson reminded members that Standing Orders had been amended to provide for the scrutiny of Statutory Rules by the Committee of the Centre and informed members that a Statutory Rule dealing with the Equality Commission (Time Limits) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 has been laid in the Assembly and will be referred to the Committee. The Committee agreed to delegate the technical scrutiny of all Statutory Rules to the Examiner of Statutory Rules under Standing Order 41.

Action: Clerk

Public Service Agreements (PSAs). The Chairperson informed members that the PSA from OFMDFM was still awaited and the Committee response is required by 9 February 2001. The members agreed to consider the PSA in BT Headquarters after the meeting with BT on 7 February 2001.

10. Date and time of next meeting

It was agreed that the Committee would meet on Wednesday, 7 February 2001 at 1.00pm at British Telecom BT (NI), Riverside Tower.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.33pm.