COMMITTEE ON THE PREPARATION FOR GOVERNMENT

COMMITTEE REPORTS ON POLICING AND JUSTICE

The Assembly Committee on the Preparation for Government has published its report on Law and Order.

This is the second report on the work that the Committee has been carrying out over the summer months. The Committee’s report addresses a number of key issues including:

• The devolution of policing and justice;
• The handling of matters related to national security by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other national agencies;
• Dealing with criminality and paramilitarism and enhancing the rule of law.

While a number of issues of detail and timescale were left to be resolved in future party discussions, the Committee agreed that all of the primary administrative responsibilities in the law and order field, currently reserved to the Secretary of State, should be devolved to a future Assembly and dealt with by a single department.

The Committee discussed in detail issues related to the role of the PSNI in matters of national security and the accountability arrangements for the police and other agencies involved in investigations in this area. Respect for the rule of law and the role of paramilitary organisations and their criminal activities was also discussed. The Committee identified a number of areas that need to be addressed in future party discussions.

Chairperson Jim Wells said ‘This report clearly identifies the matters that need further discussions by the parties. Such discussions will be for future political talks between the parties and the Government’.

Chairperson Francie Molloy, said ‘The Committee has demonstrated that agreement on the devolution of policing and justice is attainable. I am confident that the outstanding issues identified in the report can be resolved’.

Note to the Editor:

The report has been printed as the second Report from the Committee on the Preparation for Government. It will be debated by the Assembly at a plenary meeting on 19 September 2006. The report is embargoed until the commencement of the debate in the Assembly. If you would like a copy of the report please contact the Assembly’s Information Office on 028 90 521137.
A record of the Committee’s discussions can be found on the Assembly website archive.niassembly.gov.uk/theassembly

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Committee on the Preparation for Government

Under the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 2006, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, wrote to Mrs Eileen Bell, Speaker of the Assembly, on 26 May 2006 to direct that a Committee should be established to consider issues relating to the preparation for Government. On 12 June 2006, the Secretary of State directed that the Committee should be chaired by the deputy presiding officers, Mr Jim Wells and Mr Francie Molloy.

Information about the report can be obtained from the Clerk to the Committee:

Ms Nuala Dunwoody
Clerk Assistant
Clerk to the Committee on the Preparation for Government
Parliament Buildings
Belfast
028 90 418321