COMMITTEE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 20 MAY 2010,
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Jonathan Bell
Mr Cathal Boylan (Chairperson)
Mr John Dallat
Mr Danny Kinahan
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Alastair Ross
Mr Peter Weir
Mr Brian Wilson
In Attendance:
Dr Alex McGarel (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Sean McCann (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Nathan McVeigh (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Antoinette Bowen (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Dominic Bradley
Mr Daithi McKay
In the absence of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson members nominated Mr Weir as Chairperson.
The meeting began in public session at 10.06a.m.
1. Apologies
Apologies are listed above.
Mr Beggs joined the meeting at 10.10a.am.
2. Minutes
The minutes of the meeting on 29 April 2010 were agreed.
The minutes of the meeting on 11 May 2010 were agreed.
3. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson informed members that they had been provided with notes of the visits to Bryson Recycling and NWP Recycling on 13 May.
Agreed: That thank you letters are sent to the waste organisations.
The Chairperson informed members that they were keen to investigate the potential of the current waste bill to address some/all of the contamination issues.
Agreed: That the Secretariat seeks further information from Department and the Bill Office on the feasibility of amending waste legislation currently in Committee stage to enforce councils to consider quality as well as quantity in their recycled products.
The Chairperson informed members that they had been provided with a note of a meeting between the Chairperson and the Minister on forthcoming legislative priorities.
Agreed: That the Department is asked for an update on the implementation of the Taxis Act and the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act.
Mr Boylan joined the meeting at 10.11a.m. and assumed the Chair.
4. Matters Arising
Members noted a Departmental update on PSA targets.
Mr McCrea joined the meeting at 10.12a.m.
The Chairperson informed members they had been provided with a DCAL response to Committee queries on accreditation for road safety measures in the grant making process, a DARD reply to Committee queries on vehicle safety on farms and an e mail from Assembly Research on boulders and liability.
Agreed: That a letter is sent to DCAL stating that the Committee feels that there is a strong case for accreditation for road safety being incorporated into the grant making process and that some weight should be given to organisations that take cognisance of wider issues such as road safety.
Agreed: That a letter is sent to OFMdFM along with a copy of the letter to DCAL to show what the Committee is doing in relation to this issue.
Agreed: That a copy of the e mail on boulder and liability is sent to the UFU.
Mr Bell joined the meeting at 10.20a.m.
Members noted declarations of interest from Dominic Bradley, Jonathan Bell and Brian Wilson.
Members noted a Departmental reply to Committee queries on the business case for a Single Waste Disposal Authority.
The Chairperson informed members they had been provided with a Ministerial letter on the future of the Lough Neagh/Lower Bann Advisory Committees.
The following members declared an interest:
Mr Beggs – Member of Carrickfergus Borough Council
Mr Bell – Member of Castlereagh Borough Council
Mr McCrea – Member of Cookstown District Council
Mr Weir – Member of North Down Borough Council and Vice President of NILGA
Mr Wilson – North Down Borough Council
Mr McCrea stated that the position of Cookstown District Council as referred to in the letter was incorrect. Mr McCrea produced a letter from the Council to members to show that the Council was willing to provide the full grant to the Advisory Committees if the other Councils also contributed.
Agreed: That a letter is sent to the Department in relation to Mr McCrea’s letter asking for clarification on the Department’s understanding of the current position on this issue.
Agreed: That a letter is sent to the Department emphasising the need for an appropriate body to be set up to carry out the work of the Advisory Committees and to ask what model will be used to fill the void.
5. Briefing by Dawn Purvis MLA on the Local Government (Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill
The following members declared an interest:
Mr Beggs – Carrickfergus Borough Council
Mr Bell – Castlereagh Borough Council
Mr McCrea – Cookstown District Council
Mr Weir – North Down Borough Council and Vice President of NILGA
Mr Wilson – North Down Borough Council
Dawn Purvis MLA briefed the Committee and answered members’ questions on the Local Government (Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill.
The main areas of discussion were implementation of the bill, co-option, disqualification and the possibility of the introduction of a waiting period and conflict of interest
Agreed: That Ms Purvis provides further information on the legal advice she receives in relation to commencement.
4. Briefing by Women’s Resource and Development Agency on the Local Government Disqualification Amendment Bill
The following members declared an interest:
Mr Beggs – Carrickfergus Borough Council
Mr Bell – Castlereagh Borough Council
Mr McCrea – Cookstown District Council
Mr Weir – North Down Borough Council and Vice President of NILGA
Mr Wilson – North Down Borough Council
Representatives from the Women’s Resource and Development Agencybriefed the Committee and answered members’ questions on the Local Government (Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill.
The main areas of discussion were the proportion of women in political life in Northern Ireland, the ability of MLAs to also be councillors and the selection of political candidates.
Mr Kinahan left the meeting at 11.55a.m.
Agreed: That the Committee will commence formal clause by clause scrutiny of the Bill at the meeting on 3 June 2010.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.39p.m.
The meeting restarted at 12.43p.m.
5. North/South Interconnector – briefing by Armagh and Dungannon Councils
Representatives from Armagh and Dungannon Councils briefed the Committee and answered members’ questions on the North/South Interconnector.
The main areas of discussion were the costing of the application, the role of the Planning Appeals Commission, the environmental impact assessment, lack of communication on the application, the lack of an economic appraisal on the project and the levels of exposure.
6. North/South Interconnector - briefing by DETI officials
Representatives from DETI briefed the Committee and answered members’ questions on the North/South Interconnector.
The main areas of discussion were the reliability of overhead cables, the costs of the project, the costs to the consumer and the role of the Utility Regulator.
Mr Dallat proposed that the Committee supports a call for a public inquiry into the planning application. Mr Boylan and Mr Beggs supported the proposal, all other members abstained.
Agreed: That a letter is sent to the Department of the Environment supporting a public inquiry into the interconnector planning application.
Agreed; That a letter is sent to DETI asking for more detail on the options considered for the interconnector and for more detail on the costings of the project.
Agreed: That Assembly Research is asked to provide a paper on how the precautionary principle is applied to electrical cabling in the development of area plans in other jurisdictions.
Mr Dallat left the meeting at 1.41p.m.
7. High Hedges Bill
The Chairperson informed members they had been provided with a draft motion to extend the Bill, a draft stakeholder list, a draft public notice and a research paper on High Hedges legislation in other UK jurisdictions
Agreed: That the motion to extend is lodged with the Business Office.
Agreed: That letters asking for submissions are sent to all organisations on the stakeholder list.
Agreed: That the public notice is issued in the 3 main newspapers on 25 May.
Agreed: That the Research paper is incorporated into the final Committee report.
8. Proposals for secondary legislation
SL 1 - Air Quality Standards Regulations (NI) 2010
Agreed: That the Committee is content for the Department to proceed with the policy.
9. Statutory Rules
SR 2010/165 – The Solvent Emissions (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2010
Question put and agreed:
‘The Committee for the Environment has considered SR 2010/165 – The Solvent Emissions (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2010 and has no objection to this rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules report’
SR 2010/164 – Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2010
Question put and agreed:
‘The Committee for the Environment has considered SR 2010/164 – Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2010 and has no objection to this rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules report’
10. Departmental Charging Schemes
Members noted the following charging schemes:
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Charging Scheme (NI) 2010
Pollution Prevention and Control (Industrial Pollution and Radioactive Inspectorate) Charging Scheme (NI) 2010
Radioactive Substances (Fees and Charges) Scheme (NI) 2010
A Scheme of Fees and Charges to Recover the Cost of Processing Discharge Consent Applications and the Monitoring of Discharges to Waterways and Underground Strata
Fees and Charges in Respect of Costs associated with the Regulation of Discharges made by NI Water – Scheme No 1
Waste Management Charging (NI) Scheme 2010
12. Correspondence
Due to time constraints members agreed to devolve decisions on correspondence to the Chairperson.
Due to time constraints it was agreed that the matters arising and the consultations that had not been considered would be deferred until the meeting on 27 May along with Mr Kinahan’s e mail on illegal dumping.
13. Any other business
14. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 27 May 2010 at 10.00a.m in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at1.47 p.m.
Cathal Boylan
Chairperson, Committee for the Environment
27 May 2010