Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened, in public at, 11.20am.

1. Chairperson's business

1.1 The Chairperson advised members that the Committee's Motion on the Report into Inland Fisheries in Northern Ireland had been put on the Order Paper for debate on Tuesday 20 March 2001 from 4:00 to 6:00pm.

Agreed - that members would cover all the recommendations in the Report during the debate. This would be considered in detail at the next meeting.

1.2 The Chairperson advised members that 30 submissions had been received in respect of the Cultural Tourism and the Arts Inquiry.

2. Minutes of the last meeting

2.1 The minutes of the meeting of 1 March were agreed.

3. Matters arising

3.1 The Chairperson advised members that the Committee Clerk had ascertained from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board that there had been a delay in finalising the four new regional angling guides and that the Board hoped to be in a position to send pre-print copies to the Committee within the next two weeks.

3.2 The Committee discussed the issue of the photograph of Chris Tarrant holding a large black gravid fish which appeared in the 'Mail On Sunday' 18 February 2001, and which also appeared in the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's website.

3.3 Agreed - that the Committee would write to the Board pointing out that the Committee had been advised that to have taken this fish from the water was illegal, as it had been about to spawn. The letter would also state that it was the Committee's belief that it was a fundamental mistake to have permitted this photograph to be used in material which would be promoting angling in Northern Ireland at home and abroad. The Committee also agreed to write to Chris Tarrant advising him of the advice that the Committee had received.

4. European City Visits

4.1 Agreed - that the Committee would conduct a study tour of Barcelona and Paris, in week commencing 18 June 2001, as part of its Cultural Tourism and the Arts Inquiry.

5. Potential Visits to Quality Stadia

5.1 Agreed - that a Committee delegation would visit the Glasgow area in late May 2001 to study refurbished and new build stadia, including Hampden Park.

5.2 Agreed - that information on sponsors and partnerships would be sought from the Assembly Research office.

6. Any other business

6.1 The Committee received a presentation from Rab McConaghy on 'Investing for Health - A Consultation Paper, November 2000'. The Committee also received copies of a Research paper on the subject.

6.2 Agreed - that members would send any comments on the paper in paragraph 6.1 to the Committee Clerk by Tuesday 13 March 2001 and that a draft response would be prepared for the meeting on 15 March 2001.

6.3 Agreed - that training in Human Rights for some Committee members would take place on a Wednesday morning to fit in with the business needs of members. Alternative arrangements would be made for others and those members not in attendance would also be contacted to establish a suitable time. The Committee office will agree final arrangements with Imelda McAuley and inform members.

6.4 Members received numbered copies of the classified document 'Shaping Our Future - Draft Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland 2025' which was forwarded to the Committee from the Regional Development Committee for comment by 22 March 2001. Members were directed to Chapters 4, 10, 11 and 12 as being particularly relevant and informed that Research advice would be available at a future meeting.

6.5 The Committee were in agreement that presentations by the Assembly Research staff at meetings were useful.

6.6 Members received copies of a paper from the Finance and Personnel Committee relating to that Committee's inquiry into the value of Public and Private Partnerships and were invited to provide input. Research advice will be made available for discussion at a later meeting.

6.7 Agreed - that experience gained during the Committee's visits to Boston and football stadia would prove to be useful in the issue of Public and Private Partnerships.

6.8 Agreed - that to receive copies of papers relating to future inquiries by other Committees prior to consultation was very useful.

6.9 Agreed - that the Committee would write to the Department to ask if there have been changes to the policy criteria for the provision of Lottery funding which excludes 'brass bands'.

7. Date of next meeting

7.1 The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 15 March 2001 at 10:15am in Room 152.

The meeting closed at 12:13pm.

E ONeill
Chairperson