MINUTES OF THE THIRTY THIRD MEETING OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMISSION HELD ON MONDAY 2 JULY 2001 AT 4.00 PM IN ROOM 106

Present:
The Speaker
Dr Dara O'Hagan
Mr John Fee
Rev Robert Coulter

In the Chair:
The Speaker

APOLOGIES:
Mr Jim Wells
Mrs Eileen Bell

In Attendance: Mr T Evans, Mr A Moir, Mr G Cosgrave, Ms G Campbell, Mr D Millar, Mr A Black, Mrs A Peacocke and Mrs C McGowan.
Ms C Cleland was in attendance for agenda items 1-4.
Mr S McAteer was in attendance for agenda item 4.
Mr A Patterson was in attendance for agenda item 5.
Mr J Reynolds and Mrs M Mageean were in attendance for agenda item 6.

1. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

Minutes of the thirty second meeting on 26 June were accepted with one amendment to 2.1.

2. BUSINESS DEFERRED FROM LAST MEETING

2.1 Request for Wedding Reception

The Commission approved a request from an elected member to hold a wedding reception in Parliament Buildings for a nephew on the understanding that it did not create a precedent and pending a review of the costs of extending the existing regulations to beyond immediate family.

2.2 The Assistant Assembly Clerk Competition

The Commission endorsed the proposals in Mr Millar's paper relating to the outcomes of the recent Assistant Assembly Clerk competition.

3. MATTERS ARISING

3.1 SSRB

The Speaker confirmed that he had written to SSRB asking for agreement to review pay, allowances and pensions and that he had also written to Sir Reg Empey and Mr Mallon on this issue.

The Speaker agreed to consult with Whips at the next Business Committee meeting on the need to include pay structures for party support staff in the terms of reference for the review.

3.2 Security Passes

The Speaker informed the Commission that a reminder about the expiry date for old passes issued today.

3.3 Party Allowances

Mr Evans and Mr Millar to prepare a revised paper on Party Allowances taking account of the outcomes of the consultation process.

3.4 Whitley Council

Mr Evans confirmed that a meeting had been arranged with local TU representatives for 2.30 pm on 5 July at Annex C.

3.5 Accommodation Plans

Mr Evans reported that DFP's response to the Speaker's letter of 11 June should be available before the Summer Recess. The Commission endorsed the general approach proposed in Mrs Peacocke's paper on plans to relocate Secretariat staff to temporary accommodation on the Ormiston House site and also agreed that the tender process for the temporary accommodation should now proceed. The meeting with Mr Wilson to discuss the East Belfast Tourism Group's proposals still to be arranged.

4. MESSAGING SERVICE

4.1 Mr McAteer presented a paper proposing an internal solution for the provision of an Assembly messaging service. Members agreed that the necessary development work, proposed in the paper, should proceed on the basis of a one year pilot.

5. SPECIALIST DRAFTING SERVICES

5.1 Mr Patterson presented a paper setting out the processes required to complete the tender process for the provision of specialist drafting services. The Commission agreed that the tender process should proceed on an EU wide basis and that the selection panel should include a Commission member and relevant experts from the Scottish Parliament and the Office of Legislative Counsel.

6. ASSEMBLY'S PRINTING CONTRACT

6.1 Mr Reynolds presented a paper setting out proposed arrangements for the completion of the tender process for the Assembly's printing contract. The Commission agreed that:

• there should be two separate contracts, one covering primary printing services and the second for ad-hoc requirements;

• the European 'restricted' tender process should be followed; and

• a representative from the Dail to be invited to sit on the evaluation panel.

The Commission agreed to forward any further comments to Mr Reynolds or Mrs Mageean and that the final specification should be signed off by the evaluation panel.

7. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING

To be arranged following the Summer Recess.