COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS AND PRIVILEGES
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 21ST NOVEMBER 2007
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mrs Carmel Hanna (Chairperson)
Mr Gerry McHugh
Mr Allan Bresland
Mr Willie Clarke
Rev Robert Coulter
Mr Alex Easton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Alastair Ross
Mr Brian Wilson
In Attendance: Dr Kevin Pelan
Miss Eleanor Murphy
Miss Carla Campbell
Mr Lindsay Dundas
Mr Brian Devlin (Assembly Information Systems Office)
Mr Michael Cochrane (Assembly Information Systems Office)
Apologies: Mr Francie Brolly
Mr George Savage
The meeting opened at 2.04pm in public session.
Chairperson’s Introduction.
The Chairperson welcomed Members to the twelfth meeting of the Committee.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to hold the meeting in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Declaration of Interests.
The Chairperson reminded Members of their obligation to declare any relevant pecuniary or other interests before and during each Committee meeting.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 14th November 2007.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting of the 14th November 2007.
4. Matters Arising.
The Clerk informed Members that the Interim Assembly Commissioner for Standards will be present at the next meeting to discuss issues pertinent to the Committee in regards to Standing Orders 64 and 65 and Section 43 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
5. Presentation by Assembly Information Systems Office on options for maintaining and printing the Register of Members’ Interests.
The Chairperson informed Members that the Register of Members’ Interests is currently published annually by TSO, but that this hard copy version of the Register becomes out of date shortly after publication as Members make amendments to their entries.
The Clerk advised Members of the financial, environmental and manpower implications of continuing to maintain and publish the Register in its current form.
The Clerk informed Members that Committee staff are liaising with the Assembly Information Systems Office on a system which will improve the mechanism for collating and updating the Register, and also facilitate the printing of the Register in-house.
Mr Devlin and Mr Cochrane joined the meeting at 2.12pm
The Chairperson invited Mr Brian Devlin and Mr Michael Cochrane of the Assembly Information Systems Office to make a presentation on options for maintaining and printing the Register of Members’ Interests.
Mr Devlin and Mr Cochrane left at 2.25pm
Members discussed the issues raised during the presentation.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Register be published in electronic format only, but that a hard copy of the latest version of the Register will be retained by the Clerk of Standards and the Assembly Library.
Members also agreed that a hard of copy of the Register be made available to anyone who requests it.
6. Review of the ‘Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members’.
Members considered a paper on revisions to the ‘Introduction’ and opening paragraphs of the ‘Registration of Members’ Interests” sections of the Guide.
Mr Hilditch left the meeting at 2.59pm
Mr Hilditch rejoined the meeting at 3.03pm.
Agreed: Members agreed the proposed revisions to these sections for inclusion in the draft consultation document.
7. Correspondence.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a letter of appreciation to the Scottish Parliament Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee in relation to the Committee’s visit to the Scottish Parliament in October.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a letter to Mr Seamus Magee, Head of the Northern Ireland Electoral Commission, inviting him to discuss with the Committee the implications of the recent changes to the rules on donations to political parties.
The Clerk circulated two letters from the Interim Assembly Commissioner for Standards in respect of complaints received against two Assembly Members.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to discuss the complaints with the Interim Commissioner at its meeting on the 28th November.
The Clerk informed Members that minor changes have been made to the Committee’s Forward Work Programme to take account of the postponed trip to Wales.
8. AOB.
The Clerk informed Members of the availability of Assembly Christmas Cards which could be purchased for the Committee.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Clerk order two packs of Christmas Cards for the Committee.
9. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 28th November at 1:00pm in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3:12 pm.