COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mrs Iris Robinson MP MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Tommy Gallagher MLA
Mrs Carmel Hanna MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
In Attendance:
Mr Hugh Farren (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Mrs Noelle Bourke (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Joe Westland (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr John Render (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA
The meeting commenced at 2.09 pm in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies as above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson thanked the British Heart Foundation for providing Committee Members with life saving training.
3. Draft Minutes of the Meetings held on 19 February 2009.
The minutes of the meeting held on 19 February 2009 were agreed.
4. Matters arising.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about issues raised by Children’s Independent Therapy and agreed to copy this to Children’s Independent Therapy.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about issues raised by Gavin Kirby and agreed to copy this to Mr Kirby.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about a request to widen the terms of the public inquiry into the C Diff outbreak in the Northern Trust and agreed to copy this to Ms Carmichael who raised the issue?
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about issues raised by the Rainbow Project and agreed to copy this to the Rainbow Project.
The Committee noted a response from the Rainbow Project on mental health services in Northern Ireland.
The Committee noted a copy of a letter from Southern Trust about the rates paid to independent domiciliary care providers.
The Committee noted a response from the Southern Trust about issues raised by the Derry Detox Group.
2.13 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher joined the meeting.
The Committee noted a response from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister about the funding of after school services.
The Committee noted a letter from the Minister detailing the contact departmental officials have had with Great Ormond Street Hospital and Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago about the Billy Caldwell case. The Chairperson made a statement on the matter.
The Committee agreed a submission to the Committee for Culture Arts & Leisure inquiry into the funding of the Arts in Northern Ireland.
5. Evidence session with the Ambulance Service Health & Social Care Trust on Efficiency Savings.
Members took evidence from:
Liam McIvor Chief Executive
Roisin O’Hara Director of Human Resources
Brian McNeill Director of Operations
Sharon McCue Director of Finance
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending
2.53 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill left the meeting.
3.12 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.
3.31 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher left the meeting.
3.40 p.m. Meeting adjourned.
3.54 p.m. Meeting resumed.
6. Committee Inquiry into Obesity
Evidence session with the Institute for Public Health in Ireland
Members took evidence from:
Dr Jane Wilde Chief Executive, Institute for Public Health
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witness for attending.
4.40 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher left the meeting.
7. Legislative Consent Motion – Health Bill 2009.
Members took evidence from:
Glyn Roberts Chief Executive, NI Independent Retail Trade Association
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witness for attending.
The Committee agreed to support the motion but noted the concerns raised by the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association and Japan Tobacco International. The Committee agreed that Mrs Claire McGill would speak on behalf of the Committee in the absence of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson at the debate on the motion on Tuesday 3 March.
4.44 p.m. Mrs Carmel Hanna left the meeting.
4.45 p.m. Dr Kieran Deeny left the meeting.
4.46 p.m. Dr Kieran Deeny rejoined the meeting.
5.20 p.m. Mr John McCallister left the meeting.
5.20 p.m. Dr Kieran Deeny left the meeting.
5.20 p.m. Mr Alex Easton left the meeting.
5.20 p.m. Meeting adjourned as quorum lost.
5.22 p.m. Mr Alex Easton rejoined the meeting.
5.22 p.m. Meeting resumed.
5.23 p.m. Dr Kieran Deeny rejoined the meeting.
8. Statutory Rule. SR 2009/52: The Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009
The Committee considered the content of SR 2009/52: The Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and had no objection to the Rule subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules being content with the technical aspects of the Rule.
9. Proposals for Statutory Rules
Members were briefed on the proposal to make the Purity Criteria for Colours, Sweeteners and Miscellaneous Food Additives Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 by:
Mervyn Briggs Food Standards Agency NI Local Authority Unit
The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witness for attending. Members agreed that the Food Standards Agency should proceed to prepare this Statutory Rule.
Members were briefed on the proposal to make the Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency (Dissolution and Transfer of Staff, Assets and Liabilities) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009
The Local Commissioning Groups (Area and Functions) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009
The Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency (Dissolution and Transfer of Assets and Liabilities) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009
The Special Agencies (Consultation on the Dissolution and Transfer of Staff, Assets and Liabilities) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009
The Patient and Client Council (Membership and Procedure) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009
The Regional Business Services Organisation (Membership and Procedure) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009
by:
Ivan McMaster DHSSPS
Maura O'Brien DHSSPS
The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. Members agreed that the Department should proceed to prepare these Statutory Rules.
Members were also briefed by Ivan McMaster & Maura O'Brien on the local Commissioning Groups (Membership) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Dr Kieran Deeny made a declaration of interest that he was a member of the Western Local Commissioning Group.
The Committee did not support this proposed Statutory Rule and raised concerns about the proposal to exclude Members of Parliament, Members of the Assembly and Members of the European Parliament from serving on Local Commissioning Groups . Members agreed to write to the Minister about this matter.
10. Correspondence / Press Cuttings / Press Releases.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding public authorities who failed to comply with the Disability Discrimination Order 2006 requirement to produce a Disability Action Plan.
The Committee noted correspondence the Committee for Social Development and agreed to forward a letter to the Minister about funding for the Hope Centre, Ballymena.
The Committee agreed to accept an invitation to visit the Hope Centre, Ballymena.
The Committee noted a letter from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Northern Ireland thanking the committee for supporting their 2009 ‘Red for Heart’ campaign.
The Committee noted an invitation from the Law Centre (NI) to attend a seminar on Mental Health and Capacity Law in Northern Ireland: Current Proposals for Law Reform on Friday 27 th February 2009.
The Committee noted a request from Armagh City and District Council for a meeting with the Committee about efficiency savings proposed by the Southern Trust and agreed to invite representatives of the Council to a Committee event on 10 March 2009.
The Committee noted a copy of the GMC Business Plan 2009.
The Committee noted a copy of Advicematters Winter 2008/09.
11. Any other business
The Committee agreed a press release for the visit by the Chairperson & Deputy Chairperson to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
11. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 5 March 2009 at 2.00pm in room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 5.49 p.m.