MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS - 28th MAY 2002

MINUTES OF THE FIFTIETH MEETING OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMISSION HELD ON 28 MAY 2002 AT 3.00 PM IN ROOM 106

Present:
The Speaker
Rev Robert Coulter
Mr Jim Wells
Mrs Eileen Bell
Mr John Fee
Dr Dara O'Hagan

In the Chair:
The Speaker

In Attendance:
Mr A Moir, Mr T Evans, Mrs D Pritchard, Mr P Carlisle, Mr A Black, Mrs A Peacocke, Ms F Hamill, Ms G Campbell, Mr E Hobson, Ms C McGivern and Mr S Burrows

Mr Eamon Mallie (for Mr N Murphy) and Mr Chris Bailey (for Mr B Gatt) were in attendance for Agenda item 1.
Mr P Terrington (PwC) was in attendance for Agenda item 2.

1. ASSEMBLY PORTRAIT

Members received separate presentations from Mr Eamon Mallie and Mr Chris Bailey as representatives of the artists.

(Mrs Bell joined the meeting at 3.15)
(Mr Fee joined the meeting at 4.00pm)

Following the presentations, the Members agreed that a portrait of the first Assembly would be of historical value and the project should therefore go ahead. The Members agreed that Mr Noel Murphy be given the Commission.

Officials were asked to begin discussions with Mr Mallie and Mr Murphy about the terms of contract and the practicalities involved in the project and to report to the Commission at a future meeting. The Commission would then consider the options in relation to cost and raising the necessary funding. These would include -

• meeting the cost from the Assembly budget;
• part / total recoupment of the cost from the sale of prints;
• sponsorship.

(Meeting suspended at 4:05 pm for votes in the Chamber. The meeting resumed at 4:25 pm)

At resumption Mrs Bell suggested, and it was agreed by other members that the SSRB Report and Party Allowances be tabled after the PwC presentation on Terms and Conditions for Assembly Staff.

2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS PRESENTATION.

The Speaker welcomed Mr Paul Terrington from PwC to the meeting.

Mr Terrington presented Members with the key recommendations arising from the review. Members noted the Report and agreed that Mr Evans would table an analysis of the Report and implementation plan for consideration at the next meeting. Members further agreed that a meeting should be held with representatives of Trade Union Side, following consideration of the report and implementation plan by the Commission, before the summer recess.

3. SSRB / PARTY ALLOWANCES

There was a detailed discussion about the recommendations in the SSRB report, particularly in relation to the recommendation that there should be an increase in Members' salaries to retain the link with Westminster. The Speaker drew Members attention to the references in the Report from the Hay group and the SSRB recommending that the job weighting differential between Westminster MPs and MLAs, which had been set at 82% for an MLA, should be retained. The Speaker pointed out that if this was not maintained by increasing salaries as SSRB proposed, the job weighting of an MLA would fall to 74%, below that of Members of the Welsh Assembly which does not deal with primary legislation. The difficulties this would create in the future for increasing salaries to reflect the agreed job weighting were noted by Members.

(Meeting suspended at 5.35 pm for votes in the Chamber. The meeting resumed at 5.50 pm)

After further discussion, Members agreed that the A/Clerk to the Commission draft a motion relating to recommendations 2 - 10 of the SSRB report for consideration and consequent motions required to amend the (Members' Salaries) Determination 2000 and the (Members' Allowances) Determination 2000. A motion would also be drafted relating to the technical amendment required to the (Members' Salaries) Determination 2000 as a result of the change in Senior Civil Service pay bands.

Work would also begin on the consequent amendment required to the Allowances to Members of the Assembly Act (NI) 2000 in relation to the winding up allowance and a paper would be prepared setting out proposals for the effective date for payment of the winding up allowance.

4. PARTY ALLOWANCES

A paper on Party Allowances was tabled. Members were asked to consider the issues set out in the paper for discussion at the next meeting.

5. BOOKING OF TOURS DURING DISSOLUTION

The Speaker outlined the contents of a paper relating to the booking of tours during the period of dissolution. Members agreed that the recommendations outlined in the report be accepted. Members also agreed that requests for tours from members should not be taken before 12 May 2003.

Members agreed that all remaining agenda items be deferred to the next meeting.

6. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING

The Speaker proposed to members that the dates of the next meetings should be as follows:

11 June 2002
25 June 2002
17 September 2002

Members agreed to Mr Wells' proposal that one of the meetings prior to Summer Recess should be extended to allow consideration of those agenda items not covered at this meeting.

MRS DEBBIE PRITCHARD