PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 13 March 2007 and Wednesday, 14 March 2007 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
Tuesday, 13 March 2007
In the Chair: Francie Molloy
Present: Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Mark Durkan MP
Michelle Gildernew MP
David McClarty
David McNarry
Mitchell McLaughlin
Connor Murphy MP
Ian Paisley Jnr
Margaret Ritchie
Peter Robinson MP
In Attendance: Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Damien Martin (Assembly Clerk)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Pauline Hunter (Clerical Supervisor)
Observing: Richard Bullick (DUP Researcher)
Emma Lyttle (DUP Researcher)
Dara O’Hagan (Sinn Fein Researcher)
Mark Neale (UUP Researcher)
Nuala O’Neill (SDLP Researcher)
Brian Barrington (SDLP Researcher)
The meeting commenced at 2.35pm.
1. Apologies
Gerry Adams MP (Mr Murphy attended as the SF representative in place of Mr Adams MP)
Sir Reg Empey (Mr McNarry attended as UUP representative in place of Sir Reg Empey)
Martin McGuinness MP (Mr McLaughlin attended as the SF representative in place of Mr McGuinness MP)
2. Membership
Membership of the Committee was confirmed.
3. Procedures
Members were content to retain those procedures previously agreed.
4. Minutes of the meeting of 29 January 2007
The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting of 29 January 2007.
5. Matters Arising
(a) Response from the Chancellor of the Exchequer
Mr Paisley joined the meeting at 2.40pm.
Mr Durkan joined the meeting at 2.44pm.
Victor Hewitt, Specialist Adviser, Alan Patterson and Shane McAteer, Assembly Secretariat, joined the meeting at 2.46pm.
Members discussed the response of 29 January 2007 from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Committee’s letter of 3 January 2007.
The Chairperson proposed that a further letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer which reflected the Committee’s views, should be drafted for urgent consideration. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Victor Hewitt, Specialist Adviser, Alan Patterson and Shane McAteer, Assembly Secretariat, left the meeting at 3.35pm.
(b) Response from the Secretary of State on the Justice and Security (NI) Bill
Martin Wilson and Christine Darrah, Assembly Secretariat, joined the meeting at 3.38pm.
Mr Robinson MP left the meeting at 3.40pm.
Mr Wilson updated the Committee on the position in relation to the Justice and Security (NI) Bill.
Martin Wilson and Christine Darrah, Assembly Secretariat, left the meeting at 3.50pm.
6. Draft Ministerial Code
Rosalie Flanagan, Stewart Johnston and Tom Watson, officials from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, joined the meeting at 3.51pm and updated the Committee on discussions with party advisers in relation to the draft Ministerial Code.
The officials answered questions from the Committee.
Mr Murphy MP left the meeting at 3.56pm.
Mr Donaldson MP left the meeting at 3.57pm.
Mr McLaughlin left the meeting at 4.11pm.
Following further discussion of a number of the proposed provisions within the draft Ministerial code, the OFMDFM officials agreed to provide a revised draft of the Ministerial Code for consideration at the Committee meeting on Thursday, 15 March 2007. The officials left the meeting at 4.37pm.
7. Letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer
Victor Hewitt, Specialist Adviser, Alan Patterson and Shane McAteer, Assembly Secretariat, rejoined the meeting at 4.37pm.
The Committee considered a draft letter to the Chancellor on an economic package for Northern Ireland.
To enable proper consideration of the draft letter the Chairperson proposed that the meeting should be suspended until 10.30am on Wednesday, 14 March 2007. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The meeting was suspended at 4.41pm.
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
The meeting reconvened at 10.36am.
In the Chair: Francie Molloy
Present: David McClarty
Mitchel McLaughlin
David McNarry
Caral Ni Chuilin
Margaret Ritchie
Mervyn Storey
8. Apologies
Gerry Adams MP (Mr Mc Laughlin attended as the SF representative in place of Mr Adams MP)
Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Mark Durkan MP
Sir Reg Empey (Mr McNarry attended as the UUP representative in place of Sir Reg Empey)
Michelle Gildernew MP (Ms Ni Chuilin attended as the SF representative in place of Ms Gildernew MP)
Martin McGuinness MP
Ian Paisley Jnr
Peter Robinson MP (Mr Storey attended as the DUP representative in place of Mr Robinson MP)
9. Further Consideration of letter to the Chancellor
Victor Hewitt, Specialist Adviser, Alan Patterson and Shane McAteer, Assembly Secretariat, joined the meeting at 10.36am.
After discussion, the Committee agreed amendments to a proposed letter to be sent urgently to the Chancellor and copied to the Prime Minister, Taoiseach and Secretary of State.
The Committee agreed in principle that the economic advisers and the clerks to the Economic sub-group should accompany the Committee to the meeting with the Chancellor, subject to there not being any knock-on effect on the number of party representatives.
10. Next Meeting
The Committee will next meet at 10.30am on Thursday, 15 March 2007 in room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting adjourned at 11.46am.