Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 20 September 2001 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

Present were:-
Rev Dr Wm McCrea (Chairperson)
Ms C Hanna (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs J Carson
Mr A Doherty
Mr D Ford
Mr D McClarty
Mr M Murphy
Mr E Poots
Mr D Watson

Apologies:-
Mr J Leslie
Mr M McLaughlin

In attendance:-
Mr J Simmons (Committee Clerk)
Mr J Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Mr J Nulty (Executive Support)
Miss M Devine (Administrative Support)

The meeting commenced at 10.03am.

The minutes of the meeting of 17 September 2001 were agreed.

(a) Ballyrickard Landfill Site - reply awaited from the Department

(b) Proposed Ferry - update awaited from Newry and Mourne Council.

The Committee considered a letter from the Department on difficulties with the wording of a proposed amendment.

The Committee discussed a letter from Mr Sam Foster, Minister of the Environment. It is intended to submit a Motion for Debate on the Report in the Assembly in approximately four weeks time when the Minister's response is available.

The Chairperson has received a letter on draft recommendations to a Report from the DEL Committee.

Agreed: Copy to all Members for comment, as appropriate.

A letter has been received regarding the granting of mining licences in the Stewartstown/Coagh areas.

Agreed: Copy to all Members for comment, as appropriate.

The Committee of the Centre has forwarded a paper on current EU environmental issues.

Agreed: Copy to all Members for comment, as appropriate.

The Chair and Deputy met with representatives from the CBI on their concerns about the Northern Ireland Planning system.

Agreed: To invite CBI representatives to address the Committee at a future meeting.

Members were advised of a forthcoming lecture on Building Sustainable Communities.

Dr Wm McCrea, Ms C Hanna, Mr D McClarty, Mr M Murphy and Mr E Poots declared interests as Councillors before the next item was discussed.

(a) Mr Trevor Rainey and Dr Bryan Gregory from the Southern Waste Management Partnership; Mr Eamonn Molloy and Mr Victor Wallace from the North West Regional Waste Management Strategy Group and Mr John Quinn and Mr Richard Burnett from the Eastern Region Waste Management Group joined the meeting at 10.17am. Each group gave a short presentation on their progress towards producing a Waste Management Plan.

Mr John Quinn also represented the Local Government Technical Advisors Group and he gave a short presentation on their role within the process.

After the presentations, the representatives answered questions from the Members.

The Chairperson thanked the representatives for their attendance and they left the meeting at 11.39am.

(b) Mr David Thomson, Dr Roy Ramsey and Mr Steve Aston, Officials from the Department, joined the meeting at 11.40am.

They gave a presentation on the Department's position and replied to issues raised during the previous presentations. They then answered questions from the Members.

The Chairperson thanked the Officials for their attendance and they left the meeting at 12.30pm.

Agreed:
(i) To ascertain costs to Groups and Councils to date; and

(ii) To ask the Department for some further information on the Plans submitted.

(a) The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2001.

(b) The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment No 3) Regulations (NI) 2001.

(c) The Public Service Vehicles (Licence Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2001.

(d) The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (Test Fees) Regulations (NI) 2001.

(e) The Motor Vehicle Testing (Amendment) (Fees) Regulations (NI) 2001.

(f) The Goods Vehicles (Testing) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2001.

The Committee noted the reports from the Examiner of Statutory Rules. The following Motions were put and agreed by the Committee:-

"That the Environment Committee has considered the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule."

"That the Environment Committee has considered the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment No 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule."

"That the Environment Committee has considered the Public Service Vehicles (Licence Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule."

"That the Environment Committee has considered the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (Test Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule."

"That the Environment Committee has considered the Motor Vehicle Testing (Amendment) (Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule."

"That the Environment Committee has considered the Goods Vehicles (Testing) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations

(Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule."

Mr J McConnell, Mr J McClelland, Mr Ian Maye and Mr David Small, Officials from the Department, joined the meeting at 12.35am.

The Officials gave a presentation on the current proposals for the forthcoming Planning Amendment Bill and responded to some of the queries raised at their previous attendance on 28 June 2001.

The Chairperson thanked the Officials for their attendance and they left the meeting at 1.17pm.

Agreed: To ask the Department for a copy of the QUB research.

The Committee considered a letter to it.

Agreed: To defer any further action until next week's meeting.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 27 September 2001 at 10.30am in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting closed at 1.21am.