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Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Inquiry into the Barroso Task Force: Committee Consideration of Responses

The Chairperson: The next item on the agenda is our consideration of the responses we have received to our request for written evidence in our inquiry into the Barroso task force.  The terms of reference are threefold:  consider the work and structures of the task force, including the working groups, since its inception in 2007; identify the outcomes from the task force and assess those against objectives; and identify and consider lessons learned from the functioning of the task force in order to inform recommendations for any future engagement in EU affairs post-Barroso.

So far, we have had 10 written responses, and we are expecting a response from the European Commission at any time.  Members will find the Clerk's briefing paper in their packs, which gives a summary of the responses.  The responses are also in the packs.  In members' tabled papers, we have a response from the Department for Regional Development.

We agreed that this would not be a long and particularly burdensome inquiry.  Do members wish to receive oral evidence from any of the stakeholders or are you content that the Committee staff take the full set of responses and work them up into a paper?

Mr G Robinson: I think that that would be the best way.

Mr Lyttle: That is a good idea.

The Chairperson: Then we might consider bringing forward a take-note debate at some point.

Members indicated assent.

The Chairperson: Thank you very much.