COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER

OFFICIAL REPORT

(Hansard)

Department of Justice Bill

21 October 2009

Members present for all or part of the proceedings:

Mr Danny Kennedy (Chairperson)
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Tom Elliott
Mr Barry McElduff
Mr Francie Molloy
Mr George Robinson
Mr Jim Shannon
Mr Jimmy Spratt

The Acting Chairperson (Mr Spratt):

We come to our consideration of the Committee’s draft report on the Department of Justice Bill, and I remind members that we need to consider and agree each paragraph. We will start with the first section, “Introduction”.

Paragraphs 1 to 10 agreed to.

[Interruption.]

The Acting Chairperson:

Before we move to the second section of the report, “Committee Stage Scrutiny of the Department of Justice Bill”, I remind members that mobile phones must be switched off.

Paragraphs 11 and 12 agreed to.

The Acting Chairperson:

We move to the third section of the report, “Consideration of the Bill”.

Paragraphs 13 and 14 agreed to.

[Interruption.]

The Acting Chairperson:

I must again ask members to switch off mobile phones completely, as they cause serious disruption to the Hansard recording system.

The fourth section of the report is “The Department of Justice (Clause 1)”.

Paragraphs 15 and 16 agreed to.

The Acting Chairperson:

The fifth section of the report is “The Department of Justice (Schedule 1)”.

Paragraph 17 agreed to.

The Acting Chairperson:

The sixth section of the report is “Minister in charge of Department of Justice (Clause 2)”.

Paragraph 18 agreed to.

The Acting Chairperson:

Do members agree paragraph 19?

Mr Attwood:

No.

Mr Elliott:

I assume that we are agreeing that paragraph 19 accurately reflects that the Committee was content with clause 2.

The Acting Chairperson:

Yes.

Mr Attwood:

Paragraph 19 says that the Committee was “content” with clause 2 as drafted.

The Acting Chairperson:

The Committee will vote on paragraph 19.

Question put, That the Committee is content with the paragraph.

The Committee divided: Ayes 6; Noes 1.

AYES

Ms Anderson, Mr McElduff, Mr Molloy, Mr G Robinson, Mr Shannon, Mr Spratt.

NOES

Mr Attwood.

Question accordingly agreed to.

Paragraph 19 agreed to.

The Acting Chairperson:

I note that Mr Elliott and Mr Kennedy abstained.

Mr Kennedy:

I came to abstain in person.

Mr Elliott:

I note that the minutes of proceedings will be attached to the report, but will the Hansard report also be included?

The Acting Chairperson:

Yes.

The seventh section of the report is “Short title and commencement (Clause 3)”.

Paragraphs 20 and 21 agreed to.

The Acting Chairperson:

Do members agree paragraph 22?

Mr Attwood:

No.

The Acting Chairperson:

The Committee will vote on paragraph 22.

Question put, That the Committee is content with the paragraph.

The Committee divided: Ayes 6; Noes 1.

AYES

Ms Anderson, Mr McElduff, Mr Molloy, Mr G Robinson, Mr Shannon, Mr Spratt.

NOES

Mr Attwood.

Question accordingly agreed to.

Paragraph 22 agreed to.

The Acting Chairperson:

I note that Mr Elliott and Mr Kennedy abstained.

We move to the final section, “Long title”.

Paragraphs 23 and 24 agreed to.

The Acting Chairperson:

This is an ideal opportunity for me to vacate the Chair to allow the proper Chairperson to take over.

The Chairperson (Mr Kennedy):

Thank you very much. I apologise for my lateness. I am concerned at the Acting Chairperson’s use of the word “proper”.

Are members content that appendix 1, “Minutes of Proceedings”, appendix 2, “Minutes of Evidence”, and appendix 3, “Written Submissions” be included in the report?

Members indicated assent.

The Chairperson:

I understand that there will be a two-day turnaround for the Hansard report. Members should note that the date of publication is the date on which the Committee orders the report to be printed. Do members agree that we ask for the report to be printed today?

Members indicated assent.

The Chairperson:

Do members also agree that an extract of today’s proceedings be included in appendix 1 of the report and that the Chairperson agree the minutes to allow them to be included in the printed report?

Members indicated assent.