PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 23 January 2007 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
In the Chair: Francie Molloy
Present: Alex Attwood
Leslie Cree
Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Arlene Foster
Michelle Gildernew MP
Derek Hussey
Philip McGuigan
Martin McGuinness MP
Mitchell McLaughlin
Alex Maskey
Ian Paisley Jnr
Caitriona Ruane
Margaret Ritchie
In Attendance: Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Damien Martin (Assembly Clerk)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Pauline Hunter (Clerical Officer)
Observing: Richard Bullick (DUP Researcher)
Mark Neale (UUP Reseracher)
The meeting commenced at 12 45pm.
1. Apologies
Gerry Adams MP (Mr McLaughlin attended as the SF representative in place of Mr Adams MP.)
Mark Durkan MP (Mr Attwood attended as SDLP representative in place of Mr Durkan MP.)
Sir Reg Empey (Mr Hussey attended as UUP representative in place of Sir Reg Empey.)
David McClarty (Mr Cree attended as the UUP representative in place of Mr McClarty.)
Peter Robinson MP (Ms Foster attended as DUP representative in place of Mr Robinson MP.)
2. Matters Arising
(a) Meeting with Irish Government and HMT
The Committee was advised that Mr Hewitt, the specialist adviser to the sub-group on Economic Issues was content to work with party advisers on the development of an economic package for Northern Ireland during dissolution. Mr McLaughlin proposed that an all party group, comprising party advisers, should be set up to take forward work on the development of an economic package for Northern Ireland. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
(b) Press Releases
The Chairperson proposed that the draft press releases in respect of the Committee’s reports on Schools Admission Policy and Policing and Justice Issues should be issued when the reports are published. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Mr McLaughlin left the meeting at 12.51pm.
3. Report from sub-group on Comprehensive Spending Review and Programme for Government; Rates Charges and Water Reform
Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk) and Hugh Farren (Assembly Clerk) joined the meeting at 12.52pm.
The Committee considered the report from the sub-group.
The Chairperson proposed that the Committee should accept the report. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The Chairperson proposed that the report should be published. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Ms Ritchieproposed that a draft motion, as amended, should be referred to the Business Committee for consideration. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Ms Ritchie left the meeting at 1.01pm.
The Chairperson proposed that a draft press release should be agreed and issued when the report is published. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The Chairperson proposed that the Committee should write to the Secretary of State setting out its continued opposition to the proposals on water reform and to press for deferment of the reforms until they can be considered by a restored Executive. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Mr Maskey joined the meeting at 1.04pm.
Mr Donaldson MP joined the meeting at 1.05pm.
Mr Patterson and Mr Farren left the meeting at 1.06pm.
4. Report from sub-group on Review of Public Administration and Rural Planning
Martin Wilson (Principal Clerk) and Michael Rickard (Assembly Clerk) joined the meeting at 1.06pm.
Members were advised that the judicial review on PPS 14 was due to commence at the end of January and the advice of the Assembly’s Legal Adviser on sub-judice issues was drawn to members’ attention.
The Committee considered the report.
Mr Paisley proposed that the report should be amended to reflect the presumption in favour of development within rural areas. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Mr Paisley left the meeting at 1.10pm.
The Chairperson proposed that the Committee should accept the report. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The Chairperson proposed that the report, as amended, should be published. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
As a number of the matters within the report had already been the subject of debates, the Chairperson proposed that the report should not be debated in plenary. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The Chairperson proposed that a draft press release as amended should be agreed and issued when the report is published. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Mr Maskey left the meeting at 1.19pm
Mr Cree joined the meeting at 1.20pm.
The Chairperson proposed that the Committee should write to seek the views of the Secretary of State on the recommendations and conclusions within the report. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Mr Wilson and Mr Rickard left the meeting at 1.22pm.
5. Paper on Lifetime Opportunities Strategy
Ms Ruane joined the meeting at 1.23pm.
Ms Ruane proposed a number of amendments to the paper. A revised paper will be brought back to the Committee for consideration at the meeting on 29 January 2007.
Ms Gildernew left the meeting at 1.35pm.
Mr McGuigan joined the meeting at 1.35pm.
6. Paper on Victims and Survivors
The Committee considered the paper and agreed a number of amendments.
Mr Paisley rejoined the meeting at 2.23pm.
Mr McGuinness proposed that the Committee should seek legal advice and reflect on proposals before considering amendments to a recommendation relating to public inquiries. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
It was agreed that a revised paper should be brought back to the Committee at the meeting on 29 January 2007.
7. AOB
The Committee noted the response from the Secretary of State in relation to its report on Workplace 2010 and Public Sector Jobs Allocation.
8. Next Meeting
The Committee will next meet on Monday, 29 January 2007 at 1.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting adjourned at 2.44pm