COMMITTEE OF THE CENTRE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS:
WEDNESDAY 1 MAY 2002
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Edwin Poots MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Oliver Gibson MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs Jnr MLA
Mrs Eileen Bell MLA
Mr Duncan Shipley Dalton MLA
Mr Danny Kennedy MLA
Ms Patricia Lewsley MLA
Mr Alex Maskey MLA
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MLA
Mr Barry McElduff MLA
Mr Eugene McMenamin MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
Apologies:
Dr Esmond Birnie MLA
Mrs Annie Courtney MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Hugh Farren (Committee Clerk)
Ms Stella McArdle (Committee Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis
Ms Victoria Surplus
Ms Laurie Roberts
Ms Pauline Innes
The meeting opened at 2.10pm in public session. The Deputy Chairperson in the Chair.
1. Apologies
Apologies are listed above. The Committee congratulated Dr Birnie on the birth of his son.
Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 2.11pm.
2. Chairperson's Business
Staff Changes: The Deputy Chairperson advised members that Mrs Gillian Lewis will be acting as Assistant Clerk to the Committee until the end of this session and welcomed Ms Victoria Surplus who will replace Mrs Lewis.
3. Approval of draft minutes
The minutes from the previous meeting held on 24 April 2002 were agreed and signed by the Deputy Chairperson.
4. Matters arising
(a) OFMDFM Budget Proposals: Members considered the OFMDFM response to the Committee's request for clarification on issues raised by members in the draft Position Paper.
Mr Beggs joined the meeting at 2.12pm.
Mr McElduff jointed the meeting at 2.14pm.
Agreed: Members asked to be updated on the bid for new permanent accommodation for the North South Ministerial Council, as soon as information becomes available.
The Committee requested a more detailed breakdown of the bid for the Children's Commissioner, in particular the proposed functions of a Commissioner in Northern Ireland in comparison to other regions/countries, e.g. Wales and Norway.
Mrs Bell joined the meeting at 2.19pm.
Members asked for further information when available on the estimated budget for the Review of Public Administration.
Members noted that the programme for the Single Equality Bill had been extended and asked if the proposed staffing level would be adequate.
Mr Shannon joined the meeting at 2.22pm.
Members expressed concern about the bid for the Louvain Institute in Belgium and asked that officials from OFMDFM should brief the Committee on the detail of this proposal as soon as possible.
Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 2.25pm.
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 2.30pm.
The Chairperson joined the meeting at 2.36pm and took the Chair. The Chairperson informed members that he had been attending a meeting with the Deputy First Minister.
The Committee agreed that the bid for the electronic delivery of services is inadequate. Members expressed concern that the plans to develop e-government in Northern Ireland were not ambitious enough in comparison with GB where the target is 100% of services.
Members considered that the proposal for three secondments to Brussels was not sufficient and that more staff including those at a higher level should have the opportunity for secondment. The Committee requested information on the number of secondment opportunities bid for by other departments.
Members agreed that their comments should be forwarded to OFMDFM and that the Position Report should take account of the Committee's concerns.
Action: Clerk
(b) Strategic Review of Government Office Accommodation - Interim Report: Members agreed that the draft response should be amended to include the dispersal of staff, building relocations and the provision of electronic governmental services, before being forwarded to OFMDFM.
Action: Clerk
(c) Letter to the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister: The Committee agreed that the letter should be modified to take account of members' views, before being forwarded by the Chairperson to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
Action: Clerk
(d) OFMDFM bid for support from the Infrastructure Fund of the Executive Programme Fund: Members considered the bid for support from the Infrastructure Fund. This bid is part of the development of e-government. Members agreed to support the bid.
Action: Clerk
5. Correspondence
(a) OFMDFM response on the Service Delivery Agreement: Members noted the correspondence and the Service Delivery Agreement.
(b) Letter from OFMDFM enclosing 'A Guide to Evacuation in Northern Ireland': The Committee noted the Guide.
(c) Response from OFMDFM about the Executive response to the PSI Report on Travellers: Members noted that the Equality Unit of OFMDFM aim to publish the Report by June 2002.
(d) Invitation from the Chief Executives' Forum to an event entitled 'The Right to Know': Implementing the Freedom of Information Act: The Committee noted the invitation to the event at Belfast Castle on Monday, 13 May 2002 and the Chairperson asked members wishing to attend to complete the reply slip and forward it to Committee office staff.
(e) Letter from OFMDFM about the New TSN Action Plan: Members noted the information about the New TSN Action Plan and that a briefing session will be arranged for a future meeting.
(f) Letter from OFMDFM providing update on the progress of the Single Equality Bill: Members noted the correspondence and that the update letters had been forwarded to the Committees for Education, Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Finance and Personnel, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Employment and Learning.
(g) Additional information from OFMDFM about the E-Government Corporate Strategic Framework: Members noted further information on monitoring of departmental targets for electronic service delivery and the examples given.
(h) Information on EU issues: Members noted the information relating to various EU issues. This included the Terms of Reference for the House of Lords Select Committee Inquiry into the Commission's Annual Work Programme and details of the motion tabled by the Scottish Parliament European Committee for a short debate in the Parliament to mark Europe Day on 9 May 2002. Following a suggestion that information should also be provided on EU issues in the Republic of Ireland it was agreed that the Clerk would maintain a watching brief on issues which should be brought to the Committee's attention in other regions and countries of the EU.
Action: Clerk
(i) Letter from OFMDFM about the Review of Public Administration: Members considered a response from OFMDFM about the request from the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to give evidence on the Review of Public Administration. They offered to appear before the Committee on 8 May 2002 but at 11.00am, instead of the usual meeting time of 2.00pm. Members agreed that the evidence session should take place at 11.00am in the Senate Chamber on Wednesday, 8 May 2002, and that the meeting would then re-convene for the remainder of the Committee business at 2.00pm in Room 144.
Action: Clerk
Ms Lewsley left the meeting at 3.02pm.
Mr Maskey joined the meeting at 3.04pm.
6. Review of Public Administration
Evidence from the University of Birmingham
The evidence session began at 3.09pm. Evidence on the forthcoming Review of Public Administration was taken from Professor Chris Skelcher, from the Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Birmingham. This involved an overview of public administration in the United Kingdom. The Minutes of Evidence will be published in due course.
Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 3.26pm.
Mr Maskey left the meeting at 3.31pm.
Mr McMenamin left the meeting at 3.32pm.
Mr McElduff left the meeting at 3.36pm.
Professor Skelcher left the meeting at 3.47pm.
Mr Shipley Dalton left the meeting at 3.48pm.
7. EU Affairs Sub-Committee
Members noted that five Parties had nominated a member to the EU Affairs Sub-Committee and issues raised in the Clerk's paper would be considered at next week's meeting.
Action: Clerk
Ms Lewsley rejoined the meeting at 3.52pm.
8. Women's Issues
Briefing from Women's Information Group
The briefing session began at 3.53pm.
Mr Maskey rejoined the meeting at 3.55pm.
Briefing on the work of and contribution made to the community by Women's sector organisations and their proposals for emergency and longer term funding was taken from Ms Kathleen Feenan, Women's Information Group, Ms Ruth Tiallon, Women's Support Network, Ms Majella Murphy, South Armagh Rural Women's Network, Ms Pauline Collins, Foyle Women's Network, Ms Mary Brady, Ardoyne Women's Group, Ms Judy Seymour, Women's Resource and Development Agency, and Ms Marie O'Prey, Newry and Mourne Women's Network. Ms Tiallon agreed to provide copies of two reports and the Women's Support Network Development Plan 2002-06.
Action: Clerk
Mr Shannon left the meeting at 4.00pm.
The representatives left the meeting at 4.46pm.
9. Any other business
None.
10. Date and time of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday 8 May 2002 at 11.00am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings, for an evidence session with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, reconvening at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.47pm.
COUNCILLOR EDWIN POOTS MLA
Chairperson, Committee of the Centre
8 May 2002