Present: Initial Presiding Officer

Mrs E Bell

Mr R Coulter

Mr J Fee

Mr F Molloy

Mr P Robinson MP

In the Chair: Initial Presiding Officer

In Attendance: Mr T Evans, Ms L Benson, Ms G Campbell, Mr Cosgrave & Mr A Rogers

Mr J Hamilton & Mr D McCartney attended for agenda item

1. SSRB

1.1 The Initial Presiding Officer informed Members that he had received a reply from Sir Michael Perry indicating that SSRB have no difficulty with the Prime Minister's decision to award parity of salary between the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister.

1.2 Mr Coulter stated that Members of the Standing Orders Committee were unhappy with the Commission's decision on the payment of Party Whips. The Initial Presiding Officer confirmed that the issue had also been discussed at the last CAPO meeting. The Initial Presiding Officer agreed to explain to CAPO and the joint chairs of the Standing Orders Committee the respective roles and authority of the various committees. Mr Fee proposed that there should be a dedicated section in the Members' handbook on the responsibilities of individual office-holders and the various committees

2. STAFFING

2.1 Mr Rogers presented a paper on the role of the selection panel in the recruitment process. It was agreed that all Commissioners would be involved in the panels for the Clerk, Deputy Clerk, Head of Administration and Director posts. The Initial Presiding Officer will also chair the panel for the Head of Security with responsibility for all other panels delegated to the Secretariat.

2.2 Mr Cosgrave to come back with proposals on the composition of panels below Deputy Clerk and Director level. Members endorsed the generic statements at Annex 2 and 3 of the paper with the one caveat that Mr Rogers to check with EOC and FEC on the most appropriate equal opportunities statement to cover community background and gender.

3. PENSIONS

3.1 Jim Hamilton, DFP, supported by Denis McCartney, Departmental Solicitor's Officer, spoke to his paper on pension arrangements for Assembly Members. The following was agreed:

Y the Assembly Members' pension scheme should be brought into effect by an Act of the Assembly which contains the entire detail of the scheme;

Y Commissioners will not be trustees and will appoint Shadow Trustees;

Y the pension scheme requires a separate section setting out the mechanism for appointing trustees and also covering indemnification issues;

Y trustees will be nominated by the Commission and appointed by resolution of the Assembly;

Y re-settlement, ill-health and severance grants will not be covered by the pension scheme and will require a separate resolution;

Y work required on retrospective arrangements to cover the shadow period;

Y the issue of special pensions does not need to be included at this stage;

Y the calculation of pension entitlement for Members holding dual mandate;

Y rates of severance payment for Ministers;

Y seek clarification on where severance pay and pension contributions are paid from; and

Y there will be a facility for Members to make pension contributions on behalf of their own staff.

3.2 Next Steps

Y The Government Actuaries Department to give a presentation on how the pension scheme will work, to include role of trustees and method of appointment.

Y Members will then consider a second draft of the pension scheme.

Y The Initial Presiding Officer to discuss the pension issue with First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

4. TRANSPORT, ENVIRONMENT AND WASTE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR

The Initial Presiding Officer outlined the background to the proposed seminar. It was agreed that the event falls outside the existing regulations and should not be permitted, to avoid any inference that a precedent is being established. The sponsoring Member and Assembly parties to be advised of the decision and reminded that any event sponsored by a Member should have no commercial focus.

TOM EVANS