Mr Conor Murphy MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA

Apologies:
Ms Patricia Lewsley MLA

In Attendance:
Mr Hugh Farren (Committee Clerk)
Ms Stella McArdle (Committee Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis
Ms Victoria Surplus
Ms Pauline Innes
Ms Laurie Roberts

Apologies are listed above.

Ministerial Evidence

The evidence session began at 11.10am. Evidence on the forthcoming Review of Public Administration and the revised Terms of Reference for the Review was taken from the First Minister, Rt. Hon David Trimble, MP, MLA, and Deputy First Minister, Mr Mark Durkan.

Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 11.12am.
The Chairperson joined the meeting at 11.17am and took the Chair.
Mrs Courtney and Mr McMenamin left the meeting at11.54am.
Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 11.55am.
The First Minister and Deputy First Minister left the meeting at 12.40pm.
The meeting went into recess at 12.41pm.
The meeting resumed in Room 144 at 2.07pm.

The Chairperson reminded members of the major economic initiative announced by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and the subsequent debate in the Assembly on Tuesday, 7 May 2002. Members agreed to invite the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to brief the Committee on the detail of the initiative and the way in which it will be scrutinised.

The minutes from the previous meeting held on 8 May 2002 were agreed and signed by the Chairperson.

1. Programme for USA Visit: Members considered and agreed the Washington programme for the Committee visit to the USA. The details of the visit to Boston will be forwarded to members as soon as it becomes available.

Action: Clerk

2. EU Affairs Sub-Committee: Members considered the Clerk's paper about the EU Affairs Sub-Committee. The nominations are:

Mr E Poots DUP

Mr K RobinsonUUP

Dr A McDonnellSDLP

Mr B McElduffSF

Mrs E BellAlliance

Mr D ErvinePUP

The Committee then considered several options for the selection of a Convenor. Members agreed that in the interest of continuity the Chairperson of the Committee should also be the Convenor of the Sub-Committee. It was further agreed that the first meeting of the Sub-Committee would take place on Tuesday, 28 May 2002.

Action: Clerk

(a)The Second Annual Report of the Equality Commission for the year ended 31 March 2001: Members noted the Report.

(b)Letter from the Employment and Learning Committee regarding the consultation document 'Essential Skills for Living' Strategy: The Committee considered the issues raised in the strategy and agreed that the response to the Employment and Learning Committee should highlight the underachievement of young Protestant males in working class urban areas as well as issues such as New TSN, Equality and Gender. The rural/urban divide would also be raised.

(c)Copy of letter from the Environment Committee to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister about the proposed Terms of Reference for the Review of Public Administration: Members noted the letter.

(d)OFMDFM response to the Committee's request for an update on the progress with its work on Freedom of Information: The Committee considered the update and noted with concern that individual right of access will not be implemented until January 2005.

5. Letter from OFMDFM enclosing a confidential copy of the Working Group Review of Public Private Partnerships: Members noted the report and that it should remain confidential within the Committee until it goes out to public consultation, after which members agreed to take briefing from officials on issues arising in the consultation.

Action: Clerk

6. Letter from OFMDFM regarding Emergency Planning provisions in relation to Belfast City Airport: Members noted the correspondence and requested confirmation that the recent extension of the Airport and the subsequent frequency of flights had been taken into consideration when the emergency planning provisions had been drawn up.

Action: Clerk

7. Letter from Belfast City Council regarding Emergency Planning provisions: Belfast City Airport: Members noted the correspondence.
8. Press Notice from the Civic Forum about the publication of its report entitled 'Educational Disadvantage: A Civic Discussion': Members noted the press notice and asked for a copy of the forward work programme for the Civic Forum.

Action: Clerk

9. Information on EU issues: Members noted the information relating to EU issues, including the announcement by the Scottish Parliament's EU Committee about its new Inquiry on Europe's Employment Strategy and Corporate Social Responsibility: An Inquiry into the Scottish Model.

The briefing session began at 2.30pm. Briefing was taken from Dr Gerry Mulligan, Head of Equality and Social Need Division, Mrs Hilary Harbison, Head of Gender Policy Unit and Ms Pauline Millar, staff member of Gender Policy Unit. This involved briefing on women's issues and funding for Women's Centres.

Officials agreed to provide information as to which department(s) have legislative provision to fund women's groups, which department has lead responsibility and which department or body provides funding for groups in rural towns such as Ballymena and Downpatrick. Officials also informed the Committee that a position paper making recommendations for groups most in need would be forwarded to the members at a later date.

The briefing session began at 3.05pm. Briefing on the bid for the refurbishment of the Louvain Institute for Ireland in Europe was taken from Mr Murray Cameron, Head of Public Service Improvement Unit, European Policy and Co-ordination Unit, and Freedom of Information Unit of OFMDFM.

Mr Cameron agreed to provide further information on the number of students and civil servants who had used the facilities at the Louvain Institute, and also a history of the Institute.

Consideration of Committee's Response to the Departmental Position Paper

The Committee considered and agreed its response to the Departmental Position Paper subject to the amendments discussed and agreed at today's meeting.

(a)Review of Public Administration: publication of evidence: Members agreed to publish the Minutes of Evidence of the meeting on the Review of Public Administration with Professor Colin Knox on Wednesday, 10 April 2002.

Members noted the potential difficulty in getting a quorum for the next meeting on Wednesday 15 May 2002.