COMMITTEE OF THE CENTRE

Present:
Mr Edwin Poots MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs Jnr MLA
Ms Patricia Lewsley MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA

In Attendance:
Mrs Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Mr Hugh Farren (Committee Clerk)
Mrs Roisin Donnelly
Mrs Gillian Lewis
Ms Laurie Roberts

Apologies:
Mr Oliver Gibson MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs Eileen Bell MLA
Dr Esmond Birnie MLA
Mr Fred Cobain MLA
Mrs Annie Courtney MLA
Mr David Ervine MLA
Ms Michelle Gildernew MP MLA
Mr James Leslie MLA
Mr Alex Maskey MLA
Mr Eugene McMenamin MLA
Mr Conor Murphy MLA

1. North Belfast Community Action Project

Briefing Session from OFMDFM Officials

The briefing session by OFMDFM Officials began at 2.20pm. Briefing on the progress of the North Belfast Community Action Project was taken from: Mrs Mary Bunting (Head of Equality Directorate), Mr Danny McNeill (Head of Project Secretariat) and Mr Derek Wheeler (Deputy Head of Project Secretariat).

Members received briefing on the latest events in North Belfast and on the work being carried out in the area by the Departments and the North Belfast Community Action Project.

Mrs Bunting agreed to forward confirmation of the schools in North Belfast that received letters highlighting special circumstance considerations for pupils who undertook the 11+ examination in 2001.

Action: Clerk

Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 2.30pm.

Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 3.19pm.

The briefing session ended at 3.25pm and the OFMDFM officials left. The remainder of the meeting was conducted in public session.

2. Apologies

Apologies are listed above.

3. Chairperson's business

1. Junior Minister Evidence & Update: The Chairperson informed members that the Junior Minister, Denis Haughey will be giving evidence on the OFMDFM Strategy on Europe as part of the EU Inquiry on the 6 February 2002. Mr Haughey will also provide an update on the outcome of the consultation exercise on the Victim's Strategy. The Chairperson informed the Committee that he had received a letter from OFMDFM requesting that the briefing on the Victim's Strategy be held in Closed Session. The Committee agreed to this request.
2. Video Conference - Sir Nigel Sheinwald: The Chairperson reminded members that the video conference evidence session in relation to the EU Inquiry will be held on Monday 4 February 2002 at 10am in Room 135. The session will last 1 hour. The Deputy Chairperson Mr Oliver Gibson will chair this session.
3. Meeting with First Minister & Deputy First Minister: The Chairperson advised Members that he & the Deputy Chairperson met with the First Minister & Deputy First Minister on Monday 28 January for a short informal meeting. The issues covered were - the EU Inquiry, the review of public administration, the Children's Strategy & Children's Commissioner and timing of meetings between the Committee and Ministers.

The Chairperson advised Members that a note setting out the discussion would be issued by Committee staff.

Action: Clerk

4. Official opening of NI Bureau, Washington: The Chairperson informed Members that he had been invited, and would attend the official opening of the Washington Office on 6 February 2002 to represent the Committee. The Chairperson confirmed that the Deputy Chairperson would chair the next committee meeting on 6 February and the informal lunch and meeting with the Joint Committee on Human Rights on 7 February.

4. Approval of Draft Minutes

The minutes from the previous meetings held on 16 & 23 January 2002 were agreed and signed by the Chairperson.

5. Matters Arising

The Chairperson confirmed there were no matters arising.

6. Correspondence

1. Letter from the Clerk of Enterprise Trade & Investment: The letter from the Clerk about the wording 'new dispensation' in the terms of reference for their Tourism Inquiry was noted by the Committee.
2. Press Release about the publication of the OFMDFM Young Person's Behaviour & Attitudes Survey Report: The Committee noted the press release and asked for further details about the action to be taken in response to the survey results.

Action: Clerk

3. Letter of thanks from Department of Finance & Personnel: The Committee noted the letter from the Department which thanked the Committee for their response to the consultation paper on Proposals for the Executive Programme Fund for Children.
4. Press Release from OFMDFM regarding the launch of publications about improving life for victims of violence: The Committee noted the press release and that copies of the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust & Worker's Educational Association publications were available from Committee staff.
5. Reply from OFMDFM regarding E-Government Corporate Strategic Framework consultation document: The Committee noted the response and that the review planned for November 2001 had not been completed. The Committee requested further information from OFMDFM regarding the responsibility for the formulation of each Department's key service targets.

Action: Clerk

1. Evidence Session

The Chairperson informed the Committee that the evidence session scheduled for this meeting had been cancelled as Rev Dr Ian Paisley had to go to London. The Chairperson advised that the session would be rescheduled for a later date.

Action: Clerk

2. Clerk's Report

The Committee discussed the Clerk's report on the progress of the EU Inquiry and receipt of written submissions.

The Committee agreed to take additional evidence sessions from the Northern Ireland Centre in Europe and a joint session from CBI and the Federation of Small Businesses.

The Committee discussed and agreed that a launch of the report should take place on the same day as the debate and the launch should be held in the Long Gallery.

Action: Clerk

8. Recording the Return of Postal Ballot Papers - Consultation by DTLR

The Committee considered the draft report on 'Recording the Return of Postal Ballot Papers'. The report's contents section, recommendations, Sections 1and 2 and inclusion of the written submissions were agreed by the Committee. The Committee ordered the report to be printed and agreed that the wording of the Motion should read as follows:

"That this Assembly approves the report of the Committee of the Centre (01/01R), and agrees that it be submitted to the Department for Transport, Local Government & the Regions as a Report of the Northern Ireland Assembly".

9. Any Other Business

1. Brussels Meetings: Records of the meeting with MEPs in Brussels on 23 January 2002 and the meeting with the Assistant to the Secretary-General of the European Commission on 24 January were noted by the Committee.
2. PSI Working Group on Travellers: The Committee asked for information about the progress of the report's recommendations, particularly in relation to the establishment of the Inter-Agency Forum.

Action: Clerk

10. Date & Time of Next Meeting

The next three meetings of the Committee will be held on Monday 4 February 2002 in Room 135, on Wednesday 6 February 2002 in Room 144 and Thursday 7 February in the Private Dining Room, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.51pm.

Mr Oliver Gibson MLA
Deputy Chairperson, Committee of the Centre
6 February 2002