Present:
Mr D McClelland (Chairman)
Mr I Adamson
Mr R Beggs Jnr
Sir John Gorman
Mr K McCarthy
Mr P McNamee

Apologies:
Mr P Berry
Dr D O'Hagan
Mr J Wells

In Attendance:
Mr A Rogers
Mr T Logue
Mrs D Williams

The Committee met at 10.05am in closed session.

1. Chairman's Introduction

The Chairman welcomed the members to the thirteenth meeting of the Standards and Privileges Committee and introduced Mr Logue who will be assisting the Committee in taking forward recommendations from the Report;

The Chairman reported that a letter expressing the Committee's best wishes and hopes of a speedy recovery has been sent to Mr Torney.

2. Declaration of Interests

The Chairman reminded members of their obligation to declare any relevant pecuniary or other interests before and during each committee meeting.

3. Minutes of proceedings of the meeting of 28 March 2001.

The Committee adopted the minutes of proceedings of the meeting of 28 March 2001. (Proposed: Mr P McNamee, Seconded Mr R Beggs)

4. Appointment of an Assembly Commissioner for Standards - Presentation by Northern Ireland Ombudsman

- the Chairman reported that he had been approached by Mr Frawley regarding the possibility of the NI Assembly Ombudsman taking on responsibility, for an interim period only, the functions of the proposed Assembly Commissioner for Standards;

- the Chairman advised Members that he had asked Mr Frawley and Mr MacQuarrie to make a short presentation to the Committee but that any decision on the way forward would be deferred until the next meeting.

Mr Frawley and Mr MacQuarrie joined the meeting at 10.17am.

Mr Frawley made a short presentation to the Committee and this was followed by a question and answer session.

Mr Frawley and Mr MacQuarrie left the meeting at 10.57am.

- The Chairman asked the Members to take time and consider their response to the following issues:

1. do Committee Members wish to accept the proposal that the NI Assembly Ombudsman undertakes the role of Assembly Commissioner for Standards for an interim period?
2. if the proposal is accepted, what should be the duration of the interim period?

- The Committee requested the Clerk to circulate to members the key issues arising from the presentation of Mr Frawley.

5. Proposed changes to Standing Orders 57 & 64

-the Chairman reported that had he had written to the Chairperson of the Committee on Procedures, Mr Conor Murphy, asking for arrangements to be put in place to make the appropriate changes to Standing Orders;

- the Chairman advised Members that the matter would be brought before the Assembly as one of a series of motions proposing a range of changes to Standing Orders.

6. Proposed changes to the Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members

- the Chairman advised Members that Para 72 in "The Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members" will be amended and that this will require the Code and Guide to be republished.

7. Complaints against Assembly Members

- the Chairman reminded Committee Members that any approaches from individuals making a complaint under the terms of "The Code of Conduct and Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members" should be addressed to the Clerk of Standards, who will then bring the matter to the attention of the Committee for consideration.

- it was agreed that Members should be required to respond to correspondence from the Committee when requested to do so.

- a detailed discussion took place on a complaint against a Member that had been referred to the Committee for consideration. Appropriate action to be taken was agreed by the Committee and the Clerk was instructed accordingly.

- the Committee noted that the Clerk had received correspondence from a member of staff indicating that Mr Roger Hutchinson had apologised for an incident which took place on 1 February 2000. The member of staff was content that this would be the end of the matter.

8. Register of Members' Interests

- the Committee agreed that an updated third edition of the Register of Members' Interests should be published;

- The Clerk was requested to send a letter to the Party Whips advising them that the Register of Members' Interests is due for revision in June;

- The Committee requested that all Members be written to inviting them to notify the Office of the Clerk of Standards of any changes to their registerable interests, by completing a registration form , or to confirm that no changes to their current entry are required.

9. All Party Groups

- the Chairman reported that an All Party Assembly Group on International Development was established on 23 January 2001;

- the Committee requested the Clerk to examine the administrative arrangements surrounding the procedures for establishing these groups.

10. Need for Assembly Members to declare interests

- the Chairman advised Members of his concern that Assembly Members are not complying with the provisions of Standing Order 64(3). This required Assembly Members to declare any interest relevant to an Assembly debate or Committee proceedings before taking part in that debate or proceedings;

- it was requested that a letter be issued to Party Whips asking them to remind their Assembly Party Members of their responsibility to ensure compliance with the Standing Order.

11. Any other business

1. International Conference on Regulation Reform Management and Scrutiny of Legislation

- it was reported that expressions of interest had been sought by the Clerk to the Assembly from those Chairpersons' interested in attending an International Conference on 'Regulation Reform Management and Scrutiny of Legislation' to be held in Sydney, Australia on 9^th - 15^th July 2001;

- the Committee endorsed the Chairman's interest in attending the Conference.

12. Date and Time of Next Meeting

Tuesday 12 June 2001 at 2.30pm in Room 135.

The meeting concluded at 11.37am.

Mr Donovan McClelland
Chairman