PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT
Minutes of the meeting held on Monday, 8 January 2007 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
In the Chair: Jim Wells
Present: Dr Esmond Birnie
Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Mark Durkan MP
Derek Hussey
Philip McGuigan
Conor Murphy MP
Margaret Ritchie
Peter Robinson MP
In Attendance: Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Damien Martin (Assembly Clerk)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Pauline Hunter (Clerical Officer)
Observing: Richard Bullick (DUP Researcher)
Aidan McAteer (SF Researcher)
Brian Crowe (UUP Researcher)
Nuala O’Neill (SDLP Researcher)
The meeting commenced at 1.08pm.
1. Apologies
Gerry Adams MP
Sir Reg Empey (Dr Birnie attended as the UUP representative in place of Sir Reg Empey.)
Michelle Gildernew MP (Mr Murphy MP attended as the SF representative in place of Ms Gildernew MP.)
David McClarty (Mr Hussey attended as the UUP representative in place of Mr McClarty.)
Martin McGuinness MP (Mr McGuigan attended as SF representative in place of Mr McGuinness MP.)
Ian Paisley Jnr
2. Previous Minutes
The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting of 3 January 2007.
3. Reports from the sub-group on Economic Issues
Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk) and Victor Hewitt (specialist adviser) joined the meeting at 1.12pm.
(a) Report into the proposed Irish Government financial package for Northern Ireland
The Committee discussed how to take forward the report.
Mr Donaldson joined the meeting at 1.20pm.
Mr Hussey joined the meeting at 1.25pm.
Mr Durkan MP and Dr Birnie proposed that the Committee should write to the Irish Government to arrange a joint meeting with representatives of the Irish Government and the Treasury to discuss areas of overlap with the Chancellor’s economic package, including arrangements for match funding from HM Treasury. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
(b) Report on the Chancellor’s economic package and on alternative proposals
The Chairperson proposed that the Committee should agree the report. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The Committee discussed recommendation 4 of the report in relation to water reform.
Ms Ritchie proposed that the Committee should write to the Secretary of State as outlined at recommendation 4 of the report. There was consensus and the report was agreed.
(c) Paper from the Clerk on sub-group reports
The Committee discussed what action it should take in relation to the printing and publishing of sub-group reports. Following discussion, and in light of the Committee’s role to agree priorities for a restored Executive and to make preparations for government, the Committee agreed that the default position should be not to publish reports unless a robust case is made for publication.
Mr Patterson and Mr Hewitt left the meeting at 2.07pm.
4. Report from the sub-group on Workplace 2010 and public sector jobs location
Stephen Graham (Assembly Clerk) joined the meeting at 2.07pm.
The Committee discussed the report from the sub-group.
The Chairperson proposed that the report should be amended in line with the Committee’s discussions and referred back to the Committee at the meeting on 15 January 2007.
Mr Graham left the meeting at 2.30pm
5. Further consideration of the Lifetime Opportunities strategy
The Committee considered a list of those who had provided written submissions in response to its request for views on the strategy.
Mr Murphy proposed that, given the time constraints, the Committee should rely on the written submissions and not seek oral evidence on the issue. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The Committee will consider the submissions at the meeting on 15 January 2007.
6. Further consideration of priorities relating to victims and survivors
The Committee considered a list of those who had provided written submissions in response to its request for views on priorities.
Mr Murphy proposed that, given the time constraints, the Committee should rely on the written submissions and not seek oral evidence on the issue. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The Committee will consider the submissions at the meeting on 15 January 2007.
7. AOB
(a) Report from the sub-group on Policing and Justice
The Committee agreed to consider the sub-group report when the proposed addendum to the report has been received.
(b) Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act
The Committee was advised that a request for information had been received seeking copies of papers sent to the Committee and its sub-groups by statutory bodies and transcripts of meetings of the Committee and its sub-groups. Mr Robinson proposed that legal advice should be sought on the application of the Freedom of Information Act to the Transitional Assembly and that further information should be sought on a range of matters relating to the consideration of this request for reference to the Committee at the meeting on 15 January 2007. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
(c) Press Release
The Chairperson proposed that the draft Press Release should be issued. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
8. Next Meeting
The Committee will next meet at 1.00pm on Monday, 15 January 2007 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting adjourned at 2.55pm.
3 January / Menu / 15 January