Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 23 May 2002 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

Present: Dr Wm. McCrea (Chairperson)
Mr A Doherty
Mr D Ford
Mr D McClarty
Mr M Murphy
Mr D Watson

Apologies: Ms P Lewsley (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr B Armstrong
Mrs J Carson
Mr F Molloy
Mr E Poots

In Attendance:Mr J Simmons (Committee Clerk)
Mr J Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Ms C Angelone (Clerical Officer)
Mr J Nulty (Clerical Officer)
Ms C Flynn (Clerical Supervisor)

The meeting commenced at 10.31 a.m.

1. Minutes of previous meeting

The minutes of the meeting of 16 May 2002 were agreed.

Mr Ford joined the meeting at 10.32am.

2. Matters Arising

(a) Duty of Care Regulations

The Committee considered a response from the Department with regard to the issues of Crown Immunity and Enforcement within the proposed Regulations.

Agreed: The Committee to request follow-up information from the Department regarding legal advice on Crown Immunity issue.

(b) Government Accommodation Review

The Committee considered the draft response to the Interim Report of Government Accommodation Review. Members indicated the need for more emphasis on the environmental factors on dispersal policy.

Agreed: The draft response to be revised as discussed & issued.

(c) Managing Radioactive Waste

The Committee considered the Department's response to the DEFRA Consultation Document.

Agreed: The Committee's comments on the consultation document to be forwarded to DEFRA.

(d) Control of Waste Regulations

The Committee considered the response from the Department clarifying some points in the Regulations.

Action: The Committee to request information re consultation on these Regulations and reconsider at next week's meeting.

Dr Wm McCrea, Mr Murphy and Mr McClarty declared an interest as Local Councillors before the next item was discussed.

3. Local Government (Miscellaneous Provision) Bill 2002.

Ms Marie Finnegan, Dr Tracy Power, Mr John McConnell and Mr David Barr, Department Officials joined the meeting at 10.41 a.m. Officials answered Members' questions on the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.

Key issues discussed included the determination of the resources element of the general grants payable to District Councils, powers to make reductions in general grant and the status of 'directions' in relation to powers of District Councils to promote economic development.

The Chair thanked the Officials and they left the meeting at 11.37 a.m.

Agreed: The Committee to forward questions and concerns, together with responses received from District Councils, to the Department.
Officials to return to Committee's meeting of 30 May 2002.

4. Batteries and Accumulators Regulations

The Committee considered the consultation document on these Regulations and the analysis from the Assembly Research and Library Service.
Key issues discussed included battery collection facilities, cadmium collection and disposal and proposed EC legislation on batteries.

Agreed: A draft response to the consultation document will be prepared for consideration at next week's meeting.

5. Statutory Rules

The Committee gave consideration to the following SL1:

(a) (SL1) (2/61/1) Change of Borough Name (Lisburn) Order (NI) 2002

Agreed: The Committee had no comment on the above Rule

The Committee gave consideration to the following Made and Laid Order:

(b) (SR 154/2002) Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2002

The following Motion was put and agreed:

'That the Committee for the Environment has considered the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2002 and has no objection to the Rule'

6. AOB

The Committee noted a number of issues and papers including:

i) A request for copies of Departmental responses from a member of the public.
Action: Legal advice to be sought about this issue, before documents are forwarded to the member of the public

ii) Departmental response on Committee of Culture, Arts and Leisure query on the Report into Inland Fisheries

Action: Departmental response to be forwarded to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure

iii) Correspondence received by the Committee from the Groomsport Action Group

Action: Correspondence to be forwarded to the Department for comment

iv) Correspondence received from Ballymoney Borough Council re the Departmental 'direction' to Councils in relation to date of submission of Waste Management Plans

Action: Correspondence to be forwarded to the Department for comment

v) Presentation request from Phoenix Natural Gas

Action: Committee to request summary of presentation from Phoenix Natural Gas

vi) Departmental response re Antrim, Ballymena and Larne Area Plan 2016 Issues Paper

vii) Consultation Document on Stage 2 Petrol Vapour Recovery

Action: The Committee's response to the consultation document to be forwarded to Department

viii) Invitation from Rural Development Council to launch of its Report on 28 May 2002 'A Picture of Rural Change: 2002'

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday 30 May 2002 at 10.30 a.m. in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting adjourned at 11.45am.

Dr Wm. McCrea MLA (Chairperson)

16 May 2002 / Menu / 30 May 2002