PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT
Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 15 March 2007 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
In the Chair: Jim Wells
Present: Alex Attwood
Arlene Foster
David McClarty
David McNarry
Connor Murphy MP
Margaret Ritchie
Caitriona Ruane
Mervyn Storey
In Attendance: Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Damien Martin (Assembly Clerk)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Pauline Hunter (Clerical Supervisor)
Observing: Francie Molloy (Chairperson)
Brian Barrington (SDLP Researcher)
Richard Bullick (DUP Researcher)
Michelle McDermott (SF Reseracher)
Mark Neale (UUP Researcher)
Nuala O’Neill (SDLP Researcher)
The meeting commenced at 10.35am.
1. Apologies
Gerry Adams MP (Mr Murphy MP attended as the SF representative in place of Mr Adams MP)
Jeffrey Donaldson MP (Ms Foster attended as DUP representative in place of Mr Donaldson MP.)
Mark Durkan MP (Mr Attwood attended as SDLP representative in place of Mr Durkan MP.)
Sir Reg Empey (Mr McNarry attended as UUP representative in place of Sir Reg Empey)
Michelle Gildernew MP (Ms Ruane attended as SF representative in place of Ms Gildernew MP.)
Martin McGuinness MP
Ian Paisley Jnr
Peter Robinson MP (Mr Storey attended as DUP representative in place of Mr Robinson MP.)
As members had only received the meeting papers, the Chairperson proposed that the meeting should be suspended until 11.00am to allow members some time to consider the issues to be discussed. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The meeting was suspended at 10.41am.
The meeting reconvened at 11.02am.
Mr Storey joined the meeting at 11.02am.
2. 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 11.04am and updated the Committee on changes made to the draft Code since the last meeting. The officials answered questions from the Committee.
The Committee agreed to consider the draft Code paragraph by paragraph.
The Chairperson proposed that the meeting should be suspended for a short time to allow members to consult on amendments proposed during the meeting. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
The meeting was suspended at 12.27pm.
Mr Storey left the meeting at 12.27pm.
The meeting reconvened at 12.47pm.
After discussion, the Committee agreed to the exclusion of paragraph 2.16, as set out in the revised draft.
There was no consensus on the following paragraphs - 1.3 to 1.6, 2.8, 2.13, 2.14 and 2.15 as set out in the revised draft.
Joe Reynolds, Paul Moore and Hugh Widdis, Assembly Secretariat, joined the meeting at 1.14pm.
The Chairperson proposed that the Committee approve the following motion for plenary debate:-
‘‘That this Assembly takes note of the draft Ministerial Code.’
There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
OFMDFM officials, Mr Reynolds, Mr Moore and Mr Widdis left the meeting at 1.25pm.
The Chairperson proposed that the report on the draft Ministerial Code should be printed. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
3. Economic Package - draft letter to the Secretary of State
Alan Patterson, Assembly Secretariat, joined the meeting at 1.26pm.
The Committee considered a draft letter to be sent to the Secretary of State. The Chairperson proposed that an amended draft should be sent to party advisers after the meeting for comments if possible by 5.00pm. If any amendments were received, the draft would be considered at the next meeting of the Committee. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
4. Next Meeting
The Committee will next meet at 10.30am on Tuesday, 20 March 2007 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting adjourned at 1.34pm.