PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PREPARATION FOR GOVERNMENT

Minutes of the meeting held on Friday, 4 August 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

In the Chair: Francie Molloy

Present: Wilson Clyde
Rev Dr Bob Coulter
Dr Sean Farren
Michael Ferguson
David Ford
Arlene Foster
Patricia Lewsley
Naomi Long
Dermot Nesbitt
John O’Dowd
Edwin Poots
Kathy Stanton

In Attendance: Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Martin Wilson (Principal Clerk)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Pauline Innes (Clerical Officer)
Patricia Casey (Senior Researcher)

Observing: Jim Wells (Chairperson)
Brian Barrington (SDLP researcher)
Chrissie McAuley (Sinn Fein researcher)
Clive McFarland (DUP researcher)

The meeting commenced at 10.00am.

1. Apologies

Mr Durkan MP (Ms Lewsley attended as the SDLP representative in place of Mr Durkan MP)

Ms Gildernew MP (Mr Ferguson attended as Sinn Fein representative in place of Ms Gildernew MP)

Mr Kennedy

Dr McCrea MP (Ms Foster attended as DUP representative in place of Dr McCrea MP)

Dr McDonnell MP

Mr McFarland (Mr Nesbitt attended as UUPAG representative in place of Mr McFarland)

Mr McGuinness MP (Mr O’Dowd attended as Sinn Fein representative in place of Mr McGuinness MP)

Mr McNarry (Rev Coulter attended as UUPAG representative in place of Mr McNarry)

Lord Morrow (Mr Poots attended as DUP representative in place of Lord Morrow)

Mr Murphy MP (Ms Stanton attended as Sinn Fein representative in place of Mr Murphy MP)

Mr Paisley (Mr Clyde attended as DUP representative in place of Mr Paisley)

2. Declaration of interests

Members were reminded that they should declare any relevant interests.

3. Rights; safeguards; equality issues and victims - Issues agreed by the Committee

Each party gave a short presentation on the issues.

Mr Ford joined the meeting at 10.27am.

It was agreed to change the heading of ‘The Past’ to ‘The Past and its Legacy’

It was agreed to include ‘The Disappeared’ as an issue within ‘The Past and its Legacy’.

It was agreed to change the heading of ‘Equality Issues’ to ‘Equality and Shared Future Issues’

It was agreed to move ‘Good Relations’ from ‘Culture and Confidence Issues’ to ‘Equality and Shared Future Issues’.

Mr Wells left the meeting at 10.57am.

It was agreed to deal with the issues in the following order:-

Rights/Safeguards

Equality and Shared Future Issues

The Past and its Legacy

Culture and Confidence Building

Mr Nesbitt left the meeting at 11.05am.

It was agreed to call for witnesses and papers, as required.

4. Letters from the Secretary of State

The Committee noted that the Secretary of State had written confirming that Naomi Long, Jim Wilson and Alban Maginness have been added to the panel to chair meetings of the sub-group on the Economic Challenges facing Northern Ireland.

The Committee noted the letter of 3 August 2006 from the Secretary of State regarding the proposed dates for plenary in September. It was agreed that the Secretary of State’s response about the request for a copy of a report following meetings between the parties and Mr Hanson should be considered at the meeting of the Committee on 7 August.

5. Next Meeting

The Committee will next meet at 10.00am on Monday, 9 August 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings to discuss institutional issues.

It was agreed that the meeting on Friday, 11 August 2006 to discuss Rights; Safeguards; Equality Issues and Victims should be an all-day meeting with lunch provided.

The meeting adjourned at 11.17am.