| Membership | What's Happening | Committees | Publications | Assembly Commission | General Info | Job Opportunities | Help |
|
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE 1. Minutes of the Last Meeting Present: Dr J Hendron (Chairman) Apologies: Mr T Gallagher (Deputy Chairman) In Attendance: Mr G Martin Mr D Harkin Dr Hendron took the Chair at 2.03 pm.
Private Session 1. Minutes of the Last Meeting The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
Question put and agreed to: That the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee has considered Statutory Rules 2000 No. 287 Meat (Disease Control) Regulations (Northern Ireland) and No. 295 Specified Risk Material (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) and, subject to their approval by the Examiner of Statutory Rules, has no objection to the Rules. The Clerk will report the Committee's consideration of the Rules to the Business Office for inclusion in the Assembly's Minute of Proceedings immediately they have been approved by the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
Public Session top4. Departmental Briefing on Budget Proposals for the Financial Year 2001/02 Panel Members: The Minister, Ms Bairbre de Brún
The Chairman welcomed the Minister and her Officials to the meeting at 2.28 pm. Before opening up discussions on the Budget proposals, the Chairman referred to a meeting that he and some Committee members had had with a joint delegation of senior professionals from the Radiology Departments of the RVH and City Hospital, and a representative from the Regional Medical Physics Agency, in relation to Positron Emission Tomography. This is a relatively new form of technology that has proved very effective in diagnosing cancer at an early stage. While acknowledging its ongoing revenue expenditure implications, the Chairman expressed the strong desire of the Committee that consideration be given to the provision of this technology, based initially on the RVH site, as it is felt that it could make a significant contribution to cancer services. The Minister stated that this was a matter that could be taken forward within the North/South Ministerial Council, and that she would look at it. The Minister set her opening remarks on the Budget proposals in context by explaining that, while the extra £154m allocation over the baseline figure fell considerably short of the £274m bid, it was, nonetheless, a substantial overall increase in resources of 7.2%, which would allow the Department to maintain progress against priorities. She gave a breakdown of the Department's proposed allocations to priority areas from the additional resources. The Chairman expressed disappointment at the inadequacy of the information provided for the Committee in order to facilitate its scrutinising role. He made the point that the figures supplied by the Department were a breakdown of how its Budget bid (of £274m in addition to the baseline figure) would have been allocated had it been met in full, which it had not. The Committee was strongly of the view that the natural prerequisite for its informed input into discussions on the Budget proposals for 2001/02 would be the breakdown of how the Department intended to allocate the actual additional Budget allocation received (£154m in addition to the baseline figure). The Minister responded that the financial information provided related precisely to what had been requested in a letter from the Committee Clerk dated 20 October 2000. She added that it was only in a follow-up to the Department's response to that letter that the Committee's request for a breakdown of the actual Budget allocations for 2001/02 had been made clear. The Minister added that she and her Department have always endeavoured to co-operate fully with, and respond timeously to, the Committee's frequent requests for information.
A paper providing a broad outline of the Budget allocations was circulated to the members. Mr McFarland left the meeting at 2.46 pm. The Chairman acknowledged the Minister's point about co-operation but reiterated his view that it would be illogical and pointless for the Committee to deliberate on a Budget bid figure that bore no reality to the sum that had actually been allocated. Rev Robert Coulter and Mr Berry expressed their annoyance at the inadequacy of the information that the Department had provided, and the fact that some figures had only been produced at the meeting, leaving no time for their proper examination by the Committee.
Mr Berry and Rev.R Coulter left the meeting at 3.10 pm and 3.15 pm respectively. Mr Gowdy explained that it was the Department's understanding that the purpose of the meeting was to ask the Committee for its views on how the additional Budget allocation of £154m should be used. Agreed: As a follow-up to Committee members' questions to the Minister on the Budget allocations, the Department will provide the following information:
The Chairman thanked the Minister and her Officials for their time, expressed the Committee's concern at the absence of the relevant Budget allocation figures, and emphasised his desire to have a good working relationship with the Department based upon crystal clear lines of communication.
The Minister and her Officials left the meeting at 3.48 pm.
Private Session top5. AOB
6. Date and Time of Next Meeting The next meeting will be at 2.00 pm on Wednesday, 8 November 2000 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings. DR J HENDRON October 2000 |
| Home| Today's Business| Questions | Official Report| Legislation| Site Map| Links| Feedback| Search |