Present: Dr J Hendron (Chairman)
Ms P Armitage
Mr P Berry
Mrs J Carson
Mr T Gallagher (Deputy Chairman)
Mr J Kelly
Mr A McFarland
Ms M McWilliams
Ms S Ramsey

Apologies: Ms C Hanna
Mrs I Robinson

In Attendance: Mr G Martin Mr D Harkin
Mrs V Artt Ms V Surplus

Dr J Hendron took the Chair at 1.07 pm.

Private Session

1. Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.

2. Matters Arising

1. The Department has provided responses to the outstanding answers to questions raised with its officials at the meeting of 7 June.

2. The Clerk has written to the Department of Finance and Personnel in relation to End of Year moneys. The Minister has issued a further letter giving some additional detail on the funds.

3. Primary Care - The Way Forward

Departmental Officials: Mr Clive Gowdy, Permanent Secretary
Mr Jim Thompson, Primary Care Directorate

The Chairman welcomed the Departmental Officials to the meeting and explained the background to their invitation, which stemmed from the Minister's statement of 22 June announcing her intentions to develop proposals to end GP fundholding schemes and to map out the way ahead for primary care services in Northern Ireland. He emphasised strongly the Committee's concern that it be afforded adequate time to input into the consultation process, through taking evidence from those delivering primary care, and so have a meaningful involvement in the overall reorganisation strategy.

The Permanent Secretary reassured the Committee that the Minister would clearly want to factor in its views when considering proposals for primary care. The Minister's press statement, and its reference to consultation in the "coming weeks", was simply picking up on the fact that those delivering primary care services were pressing very hard for movement at an early date. Over the next month or two, the Minister will be listening carefully to what all the relevant parties have to say, and developing proposals for consultation as soon as possible thereafter. There is no question whatsoever, though, of proposals being worked up into actual answers within weeks. The target date for the end of GP fundholding is 1 April 2001 and, therefore, the Minister's aim is to have proposals ready for consultation in early autumn with decisions being reached by mid to late autumn. This will allow the necessary few months lead-in to put the proposals in place.

Public Session

4. Presentation by the Ulster Cancer Foundation

Panel Members:
Ms Arlene Spiers, UCF Chief Executive Designate
Mr Michael Wood, UCF Director General
Professor Patrick Johnston, Belfast City Hospital
Professor Roy Spence, Belfast City Hospital

The Chairman welcomed the panel to the meeting at 1.37 pm, after which they spoke to the document 'Cancer Services. Invest Now', which had been copied to the Committee. Following a question-and-answer session, which is summarised in Annex A, the Chairman thanked the panel, and they left the meeting at 2.50 pm.

Private Session

5. Committee response to 'Minding our Health' draft consultation document

Agreed: The Chairman will write to the Minister to highlight the Committee's considerable concern at the poor overall quality of the draft consultation document. The absence of any reference to targets, costings, and consultation with other related sectors, such as the Education Department, in its recommendations was a particular worry. The Committee therefore requests that the Department produce a new document to address basic flaws in the original.

[Mr Kelly left the meeting at 3.40 pm.]

6. Committee response to 'Mapping the Road to Change': A strategic review of the N.I. Ambulance Service

The Committee considered the Clerk's prepared draft response to the review document's recommendations and agreed a number of amendments, which are outlined in Annex B. The Clerk will forward the revised response to the Department.

[Mr Gallagher and Ms Armitage left the meeting at 4.45 pm.]

7. Children Services

1. Agreed: The Committee considered the Clerk's draft list of priorities within Children Services and agreed to add the following items: Residential Care (in conjunction with the reference to Secure Accommodation); Independent Visitors; and Child Protection legislation.

2. Agreed: The Chairman will write to the Minister to seek assurances on the following Committee concerns:

• Will this year's budget for Children Services be ring-fenced? (Concern was also raised that funding in previous years had been used, in part, to pay off loans that were incurred due to resources being diverted from budgets in the past.)

• How does the Department monitor the implementation of the Children Order and the spending of resources under it?

• How is the UN Convention on Rights of the Child being implemented in Northern Ireland?

• Will the Minister seek to introduce Child Protection legislation into Northern Ireland at an early date?

3. Agreed: The Committee decided to conduct its initial inquiry into the shortage of residential care/secure accommodation. The Clerk will draw up draft terms of reference; draft a press release; and draw up an advertisement.

8. Committee response to the Regional Development Strategy

Agreed: The Committee considered and agreed the Clerk's draft response to the Regional Development Strategy document. The Clerk will forward a copy to the Clerk of the Regional Development Committee.

9. Programme for Government

The Clerk tabled a draft response to the Minister's letter inviting the Committee's comments on the issues relating to the structure of the Programme for Government. The Clerk will write to Members asking for their responses by Monday 3 July, and the Committee will then consider a collective response at its meeting on Tuesday 4 July.

10. Committee response to the Department's Draft Equality Scheme

Agreed: The Committee considered a draft response prepared by the Clerk, and agreed the following action. The Clerk will ask the Department to consider consulting the Equality Commission on Equality Impact Assessments; the Department will be asked to provide details of respondents to the consultation document and details of the main points raised; and the Committee will request an opportunity to view and comment on the final draft before its publication.

11. Legislation

1. Subordinate Legislation

Agreed: The Committee was content with the Department's proposals for Statutory Rules in respect of the following: Infant Formula And Follow-On Formula (Amendment) Regulations (N.I.) 2000; Processed Cereal-Based Foods And Baby Foods For Infants And Young Children (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000; Food Irradiation Provisions Regulations (N.I.) 2000; Meat (Disease Control) Regulations (N.I.) 2000; Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat And Rabbit Meat (Hygiene And Inspection) (Amendment) Regulations (N.I.) 2000; Animal Feeding Stuffs From Belgium (Control) (Revocation) Regulations (N.I.) 2000; Meat Hygiene (Cold Stores) Regulations (N.I.) 2000

The Clerk has copied the proposals to the Clerk of the Agriculture Committee in view of its related interest.

2. Primary Legislation

Agreed: The Clerk will investigate the means by which the Committee might sponsor the bringing forward of primary legislation.

12. AOB

1. The Chairman will write to the Minister to voice the Committee's concern that important press releases are being issued without any prior notice to the Committee.

2. The Clerk is seeking advice on the Department's Targeting Social Need project and will forward a paper for the Committee's consideration at its next meeting.

3. The Deputy Chairman reported on the latest liaison meeting of the Departmental and Standing Committee Chairpersons. One Committee intends to continue to meet during the summer recess. The Chairs expressed unanimous concern at the tight deadline by which the Committees were being asked to respond with their views on the Programme for Government.

13. Date and Time of Next Meeting

The Committee will meet next at 1.00 pm on Tuesday, 4 July in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

DR J HENDRON
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
June 2000

21 June 2000 / Menu / 04 July 2000