Official Report (Hansard)

PDF version of this report (89.46 kb)

Committee for the Environment

Local Government Bill: Committee Report

The Chairperson: Members have been provided with the final draft of the Committee report on the Bill.  The suggested change from the meeting on 18 February has been made on page 45.

Mr Weir: Will you just highlight what the change is, Chair?

Lord Morrow: It is at paragraph 4.

The Committee Clerk: Peter, it is just a change to the wording in the final sentence to include a reference to the lack of clarity on call-in.

Mr Weir: That was the change that Tom requested.

The Chairperson: Yes, it was about the lack of clarity on the criteria for the call-in procedure.  Were any other changes made?

The Committee Clerk: No.

The Chairperson: Are members content that we approve the report en bloc, or do you want me to go through it chapter by chapter?

Mr Weir: Chair, we have gone through this in a fair amount of detail, so I would be happy to approve it en bloc.  There is just one follow-up issue, and I apologise for missing it at the previous meeting.  The Department said that it would look at the quota for greatest remainder and was still in discussion on that.  I suggest that we keep pursuing that because it might require an amendment.  The problem is that, if it does, it would be of a very technical nature.  So the sooner we can get the Department to shed some light on that, the better.

The Chairperson: Yes, absolutely. 

Are members content that we agree the report?

Members indicated assent.

The Chairperson: We will send the report to be printed in preparation for publication.  Are members content that the report contain the relevant extracts from the minutes of today's meeting and all minutes of evidence?  That would mean members agreeing to their inclusion in the report without having prior sight of the documents.  Are members content?

Members indicated assent.

The Chairperson: This is the sixth report of the Committee.  From what date is that?

The Committee Clerk: It is the sixth of this mandate, I think.

The Chairperson: We have done quite a lot in two years, members.

Mr Weir: Think of all the poor trees that have been cut down.

The Chairperson: We do not print a large number of reports.  Most people read them on our website, and it is also available on CD-ROM.  Come on, folks, it would not be on for the Environment Committee to cut down too many trees.

Are members content that the report be the sixth of the Environment Committee to the Assembly?

Members indicated assent.

The Chairperson: The report will be ordered to be printed and submitted to the Business Office as the Committee's official report on the Local Government Bill.  That ends Committee Stage.