PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT
Minutes of the meeting held on Monday, 11 December 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
In the Chair: Francie Molloy
Present: Alex Attwood
Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Sir Reg Empey
Michelle Gildernew MP
Derek Hussey
Philip McGuigan
Conor Murphy MP
Ian Paisley Jnr
Margaret Ritchie
Peter Robinson MP
In Attendance: Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Damien Martin (Assembly Clerk)
John Power (Head of Research and Library Services)
Eileen Regan (Research and Library Services)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Pauline Hunter (Clerical Officer)
Observing: Brian Barrington (SDLP Researcher)
Richard Bullick (DUP Researcher)
Brian Crowe (UUP Researcher)
Aidan McAteer (SF Researcher)
Michelle McDermott (SF Researcher)
Jackie McMullan (SF Researcher)
Dara O’Hagan (SF Researcher)
The meeting commenced at 1.05pm.
-
Apologies
Gerry Adams MP (Mr Murphy MP attended as SF representative in place of Mr Adams MP.)
Mark Durkan MP (Mr Attwood attended the meeting as SDLP representative in place of Mr Durkan 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.)
-
Previous Minutes
The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting of 4 December 2006.
Mr Donaldson MP joined the meeting at 1.07pm.
-
Matters Arising
(a) Response from the Secretary of State to the Committee’s letter on the deferment of water reform legislation
The Committee noted the Secretary of State’s response of 7 December 2006. It was agreed to copy the response to the sub-groups considering Economic Issues and Comprehensive Spending Review; Programme for Government; Rates Charges and Water Reform.
(b) Chairing of sub-groups
Mr Murphy MP proposed that the parties should nominate chairpersons for the sub-groups as follows, the DUP and Sinn Fein should each chair two sub-groups and the SDLP and UUP should each chair one sub-group.
Those nominated should not be members of the Committee or the sub-group. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Each party then selected which sub-group(s) that party would chair as follows:-
Comprehensive Spending Review: Programme for Government: Rates Charges and Water Reform – UUP
Economic Issues – SF
Policing and Justice – DUP
Review of Public Administration and Rural Planning – SDLP
Schools Admission Policy – SF
Workplace 2010 and Public Sector Jobs location – DUP
Mr Murphy MP proposed that if the nominated chairperson is unable to attend a meeting of the sub-group, it would be the responsibility of the party to nominate a replacement, other than the deputy speakers. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
-
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 1.20pm and updated the Committee on proposed changes to the Ministerial Code.
The officials answered questions from the Committee.
Mr Paisley joined the meeting at 1.47pm.
The officials agreed to submit a paper to the Committee outlining further proposals on the Ministerial Code before Christmas and to return to the Committee in the New Year to discuss these. The officials left the meeting at 2.07pm.
-
Victims and Survivors Issues
Billy Gamble and John Clarke, officials from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, joined the meeting at 2.10pm and briefed the Committee on a range of issues in relation to victims and survivors.
Mr McGuigan joined the meeting at 2.18pm.
Mr Paisley left the meeting at 2.21pm.
After answering questions from the Committee, the officials left the meeting at 2.50pm.
After further discussion, Mr Donaldson MP proposed that the Committee should ask for brief, written submissions on the relevant priorities for an Executive in respect of victims and survivors from the Victims Groups which received core-funding from OFMDFM. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
Mr Hussey and Mr McGuigan left the meeting at 3.00pm.
-
Letter from Secretary of State on the provision of information by officials to the Committee.
The Committee noted the Secretary of State’s letter of 30 November 2006 on the provision of information by officials to the Committee and its sub-groups.
-
Handling of sub-group reports
The Committee discussed how it would take forward the reports from the sub-groups. It was agreed that the reports should be short, concise, with action points, targets and recommendations and that the Committee will decide on a case-by-case basis whether the reports should be published and if motions should be submitted to the Business Committee for debate of any report in plenary.
-
AOB
(a) Revised Terms of Reference for the Economic Issues sub-group
The Chairperson proposed that the Committee amends the Terms of Reference for the Economic Issues sub-group in line with the request. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed. It was also agreed that the sub-group should take follow up action in relation to the three reports on Economic Challenges agreed by the Committee on the Preparation for Government.
(b) Attendance of MLAs at sub-group meetings
The Committee discussed the attendance of MLAs at sub-group meetings. Ms Gildernew proposed that where a member attends a sub-group meeting to deputise for another member who is not yet ready to leave, the deputising member should be allowed to sit in the gallery in place of a party researcher/adviser until the other member leaves the meeting. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
(c) Meeting papers to Party Researchers/Advisers
Ms Gildernew MP proposed that each party should nominate one party researcher/adviser to receive a copy of the papers for all Committee and sub-group meetings. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed. Parties were asked to inform the Committee Clerk of their nominations.
(d) Press ReleaseThe Chairperson proposed that the press release should be issued. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
- Next Meetings
(a) The Chairperson proposed that the Committee should meet on Wednesday, 3 January 2007 at 1.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.
(b) The Committee will next meet at 1.00pm on Monday, 18 December 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting adjourned at 3.17pm.