COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2010
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Sydney Anderson MLA
Mrs Mary Bradley MLA
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Tommy Gallagher MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA

In Attendance:
Mr Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Trevor Allen (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Stewart Kennedy (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Allison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
None.

The meeting began at 2.00pm in open session.

Mr Anderson, Mrs Bradley, Mr Craig, Mr Easton and Mr Hamilton declared an interest as councillors at 2.01pm.

1. Apologies

No apologies were received.

2. Chairperson’s Business

None.

3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 9 November 2010

Agreed: The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 9 November 2010 were agreed.

4. Matters Arising

None.

5. Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill – Clause-by-Clause Scrutiny

Mr Tom Bowler and Mr Liam Quinn of the Department for Social Development’s Social Policy Unit joined the meeting at 2.02pm to address questions in relation to the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill.

The Committee continued its clause-by-clause scrutiny of the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill.

Clause 1 – Closure of licensed premises

Mr Gallagher joined the meeting at 2.04pm.
Mr McCann joined the meeting at 2.05pm.

Some Members highlighted concerns in respect of the extension from the courts to the police of closure powers relating to licensed premises. As a consensus could therefore not be reached on whether to accept Clause 1 as drafted, the Committee divided on this question as follows:

Ayes 6; Noes 2; Abstentions: 0

AYES

Mr Sydney Anderson
Mrs Mary Bradley
Mr Tommy Gallagher
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr Alex Easton

NOES

Mr Mickey Brady
Mr Fra McCann

ABSTENTIONS

None

The motion was carried.

“Question: the Committee is content with Clause 1, as drafted, put and agreed to."

Clause 2 – Penalty Points

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 2, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Clause 3 – Proof of Age

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 3, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Clause 4 – Application to limited liability partnerships

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 4, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Clause 5 – Closure of Registered Clubs

Mr McCann declared an interest as a member of the Irish National Foresters Club and Cumann na Meirlach at 2.11pm.

Some Members again highlighted concerns in respect of the extension from the courts to the police of closure powers relating to licensed premises operated by registered clubs. As a consensus could therefore not be reached on whether to accept Clause 5 as drafted, the Committee divided on this question as follows:

Ayes 6; Noes 2; Abstentions 0

AYES

Mr Sydney Anderson
Mrs Mary Bradley
Mr Tommy Gallagher
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr Alex Easton

NOES

Mr Mickey Brady
Mr Fra McCann

ABSTENTIONS

None

The motion was carried.

“Question: that the Committee is content with Clause 5, as drafted, put and agreed to."

Clause 6 – Penalty Points

Some Members highlighted concerns in respect of the application of penalty points to registered clubs whose officers are frequently volunteers and who it was argued should not be sanctioned unfairly. As a consensus could therefore not be reached on whether to accept Clause 6 as drafted, the Committee divided on this question as follows:

Ayes 6; Noes 2; Abstentions 0

AYES

Mr Sydney Anderson
Mrs Mary Bradley
Mr Tommy Gallagher
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr Alex Easton

NOES

Mr Mickey Brady
Mr Fra McCann

ABSTENTIONS

None

The motion was carried.

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 6, as drafted, put and agreed to."

Clause 7 – Proof of Age

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 7, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Clause 8 – Accounts of Registered Clubs

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 8, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Clause 9 – Authorisations for Special Occasions

Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer consideration of Clause 9 to its meeting of 18 November 2010.

Mr John McCallister joined the meeting at 2.22pm.

Clause 10 – Ancillary provision

Agreed: The Committee supported a proposed amendment suggested by the Examiner of Statutory Rules to alter the level of Assembly scrutiny associated with Clause 10(2) from negative to draft affirmative resolution .

“Question: That subject to the text of the proposed amendment, the Committee is content with Clause 10, as amended, put and agreed to.”

Clause 11 – Interpretation

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 11, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Clause 12 – Minor and consequential amendments and repeals

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 12, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Clause 13 – Commencement

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 13, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Clause 14 – Short title

“Question: That the Committee is content with Clause 14, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Schedule 1 - Schedule to be inserted in Licensing Order as Schedule 10A

“Question: That the Committee is content with Schedule 1, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Schedule 2 - Schedule to be substituted in Registration of Clubs Order for Schedule 6

“Question: That the Committee is content with Schedule 2, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Schedule 3 - Amendments

“Question: That the Committee is content with Schedule 3, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

Schedule 4 - Repeals

“Question: That the Committee is content with Schedule 4, as drafted, put and agreed to.”

6. Irresponsible Drinks Promotions

Noted:The Committee noted initial responses from the Wine & Spirit Trade Association and the British Retail Consortium; the PSNI; the Public Health Agency and the Queen’s University of Belfast in respect of the Department’s proposals to curb irresponsible drinks promotions.

Agreed:The Committee gave it supported in principle the introduction of measures to control irresponsible drinks promotions and further agreed that this should be reflected in the Committee’s Bill report.

Agreed: The Committee also agreed that following a Departmental briefing on the responses to the Irresponsible Drinks Promotions consultation, a more detailed Committee view may be determined and articulated by the Chairperson at the Consideration Stage of the Bill.

The Chairperson thanked the officials for their attendance.

The officials left the meeting at 2.28pm.

Mr Gallagher left the meeting at 2.28pm.

7. Any Other Business

None.

8. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will take place on Thursday, 18 November 2010 at 9.30am, in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.29pm.

Mr Simon Hamilton MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Social Development.
18 November 2010

11 November 10 / Menu