COMMITTEE ON PROCEDURES
Minutes of Proceedings
WEDNESDAY, 8th OCTOBER
Room 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Mervyn Storey (Deputy Chairperson)
Lord Wallace Browne
Mr David McClarty
Mr Adrian McQuillan
Mr Sean Neeson
Mr Declan O’Loan
Mr Ken Robinson
In Attendance:
Ms Stella McArdle (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Ms Linda Hare (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Mary Carroll (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Lord Morrow (Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady
Mr Francie Brolly
Mr Raymond McCartney
The meeting opened at 2.02 pm in public session.
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Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
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Draft minutes of the meeting held on 24 th September 2008
Agreed: that the draft minutes of the meeting held on 24 th September were agreed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee’s deliberations on the second draft of its Report on the Inquiry into Private Legislation will be held in closed session.
The Committee was advised that the Director General was observing the items of business at today’s meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Director General will remain in the room to observe the proceedings in closed session.
Meeting continued in closed session at 2.05 pm.
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Private Legislation
Members considered the Committee’s second draft report on the inquiry into private legislation.
Agreed: the Committee agreed to consider amendments made to specific paragraphs as the main body of the report was agreed at the previous meeting.
Paragraph 41 was agreed as amended.
Paragraph 68 was agreed subject to minor amendment.
Members considered the amendments provided by the Committee on Standards and Privileges relating to members’ interests and deliberated on paragraphs 110 – 111.
Paragraph 110 was agreed.
Paragraph 111 was agreed subject to the second sentence being amended to read as follows: ‘The Business Committee should not recommend an appointment if based on the declarations of the member:’. In addition, the last bullet point of paragraph 111 was agreed subject to being amended by removing the word ‘other’.
2.12 pm Mr David McClarty joined the meeting.
Paragraph 116 was agreed as amended.
The Committee deliberated on the fees for the promoter and objector to private bills. Mr Sean Neeson provided feedback from the Assembly Commission suggesting that the fees should be reduced to 75% for charitable bodies.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the fees for charitable bodies should be reduced to 75%.
Members considered a diagram on page 12 which illustrated the recommended stages of a private bill by the Committee.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the diagram will be moved to page 23 and be referred to in the main body of the text.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the cover page of the report as amended.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the membership and powers page of the report as amended.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the table of contents page of the report.
Members considered the introduction pages of the report on a paragraph by paragraph basis.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the introduction paragraphs 1 – 10 stand part of the report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that recommendations 22 and 23 will be amalgamated.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the summary of recommendations stand as part of the report subject to the amalgamation of recommendations 22 and 23.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the executive summary stands as part of the report subject to minor amendment.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the appendices stand part of the report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the report (as amended) be the First Report of the Committee on Procedures to the Assembly for 2008/09 session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek a motion to debate its Report on the Inquiry into Private Legislation on 3rd November 2008, subject to the approval of the Business Committee.
Members considered an embargoed draft press release on the Committee’s Report on the Inquiry into Private Legislation.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the embargoed press release will be issued four days before the start of the plenary debate on 3 rd November 2008, subject to the approval of the Business Committee.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the extract of the unapproved minutes of proceedings of today’s meeting will be checked by the Chairperson and included in Appendix 1.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the next item of business relating to the contract for the Standing Orders Drafting Services will be held in closed session.
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Drafting Contract for Standing Orders
The clerk updated the Committee on the current position with the contract for the Standing Orders Drafting Services.
Agreed - The Committee agreed to meet with the successful applicant and that an informal meeting will be arranged in due course.
Agreed - The Committee agreed that it was content that draft amendments will be presented to it in the same format as previously arranged.
Agreed - The Committee agreed that the memo provided to the Committee for this item of business will be returned to staff.
Meeting continued in open session at 2.32 pm.
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Any Other Business
None.
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Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 22nd October 2008 at 2.00 pm in Room 152 Parliament Buildings.
Meeting suspended at 2.34 pm.
Meeting continued in open session at 2.45 pm.
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Inquiry into Assembly Questions
The Committee was briefed by the following representatives from the Stormont Correspondents Association: Mr Mark Devenport, Mr Eamon Mallie and Mr Billy Graham. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Agreed: members agreed that Mr Devenport will provide the Committee with viewing information from the Welsh Assembly.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.37 pm.