SEVENTY SECOND MEETING
TUESDAY, 20 NOVEMBER, 2001
COMMITTEE ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Mr Francie Molloy (Chairman)
Mr Billy Bell
Mr Seamus Close
Mr Derek Hussey
Mr Roger Hutchinson
Ms Patricia Lewsley
Mr Alex Maskey
Mr Maurice Morrow
Mr Peter Weir

In attendance: Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
Mr Peter Hughes (Clerk)
Ms Sheila Mc Clelland (Clerk)
Mr Joe Sloan (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Sharon Bowman (Executive Support
Mr Jonathan Briggs (Administrative Support)

The Chairman declared the meeting open at 2.32.p.m. The meeting was held in open session

1.1 Mr James Leslie.

2.1 Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of 13th November 2001.
Mr Close attended the meeting at 2.33 p.m.

3. Matters arising.

3.1 The Committee noted the letter received from the Department demonstrating the change to the timetable for Building Regulations amendment for Radon Gas only omitting the amendments for fire safety and conservation of fuel and power.

3.2 The Committee considered and agreed a draft letter to the Minister of Finance and Personnel about its concerns on the proposed scope of and the lengthy timetable for amendment to Building Regulations to extend Radon Gas legislation.

Ms Lewsley attended the meeting at 2.38 p.m.

3.3 The Committee noted its letter to the Statutory Departmental Committees and Committee of the Centre regarding the Interim Report by the Accommodation Review Team.

3.4 The Committee agreed a letter from the Chairman to the Enterprise Trade and Investment Committee regarding the positive action taken by the Department of Finance and Personnel to promote and achieve greater use of renewable energy as indicated by the Minister of Finance and Personnel.

4. Department of Finance and Personnel - New Targetting Social Need Action Plan

4.1 Departmental officials Ms Adrianne Brown, Mr David Sterling, Mrs Nuala Kerr, Mr Stephen Orr, Mr Martin Tyrell and Mr Robert Beatty attended and briefed the Committee on the Department's New TSN Action Plan and the progress to date.

Mr Hussey attended the meeting at 3.02 p.m. and Ms Lewsley left the meeting at 3.04 p.m.

4.2 The officials agreed that clearer deadlines to measure the achievement of objectives under the Plan were required and agreed to provide these.

4.3 The officials answered questions from the Committee on the contributions to New TSN by Directorates and Agencies within the Department.

5. Matrimonial and Family Law Bill.

5.1 Claire Archbold from the Office of Law Reform attended and briefed the Committee on the progress of the plan to introduce the Matrimonial and Family Law Bill in this session of the Assembly.

5.2 Ms Archbold explained the reasons for the re-launch of the consultation on the Physical Punishment of Children. The timetable for the Matrimonial and Family Law Bill had also been delayed following senior staff changes in the Office of law Reform. The Policy Memorandum on the Bill is to be presented to the Minister of Finance and Personnel by 30 November 2001

Ms Lewsley returned to the meeting at 3.47 p.m.

6. Committee Business Timetable

6.1 The Clerk presented a draft Committee business plan for all known committee business between December 2001 and July 2002. The Committee was asked to consider and note the Plan and to consider a range of potential Inquiry issues and visits. A number of Inquiry areas were identified for further consideration.

7. Correpondence

7.1 The Committee noted correspondence received and issued by it in the last week. The Committee was informed by the Principal Clerk that Peace II proposed allocations would be discussed by the Committee with Departmental officials at its next meeting.

7.2 The Committee noted the contents of a Belfast telegraph article complaining about the absence of sufficient detail in the Minutes of Proceedings from committee meetings. A collection of random sample Minutes of Proceedings from other Assembly committees, Westminster, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly was circulated for information. The Committee noted that from the examples provided, Assembly committees appeared to provide at least as much information with the exception of committees in the Welsh Assembly.

7.3 Resolved: The Committee agreed that some expansion of its Minutes of Proceedings would be welcome.

Mr Maskey attended the meeting at 4.15 p.m.

8. Any Other Business

9.1 The Chairman informed the Committee of his discussion with the Speaker regarding the arrangements for the laying reports in the business office in advance of publication.

The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 4.16 p.m.

13 November 2001 / Menu