Proceedings of the Committee on the Preparation for Government

13 September 2006 (PM)

Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 13 September 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

In the Chair: Jim Wells

Present: Tom Buchanan
Wilson Clyde
Dr Sean Farren
David Ford
Danny Kennedy
Patricia Lewsley
Naomi Long
Alan McFarland
David McNarry
Conor Murphy MP
John O’Dowd
Peter Robinson MP

In Attendance: Nuala Dunwoody (Clerk Assistant)
John Torney (Principal Clerk)
Christine Darrah (Clerk)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Gillian Lyness (Assistant Clerk)
Elaine Farrell (Clerical Supervisor)

Observing: Richard Bullick (DUP researcher)
Stephen Barr (UUP researcher)

The meeting commenced at 2.08pm.

1. Apologies

Mark Durkan MP (Ms Lewsley attended the meeting as SDLP representative in place of Mr Durkan MP)

Michelle Gildernew MP (Mr O’Dowd attended the meeting as SF representative in place of MS Gildernew MP)

Dr Wm McCrea MP (Mr Clyde attended the meeting as DUP representative in place of Dr McCrea)

Alasdair McDonnell MP

Martin McGuinness MP

Lord Morrow (Mr Robinson MP attended the meeting as DUP 
representative in place of Lord Morrow)

Ian Paisley Jnr (Mr Buchanan attended the meeting as DUP representative in place of Mr Paisley)

2. Previous Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 4 September 2006 were agreed.

3. Meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Committee discussed the forthcoming meeting with the Secretary of State on Monday, 18 September 2006. Mr Robinson proposed that the Secretary of State should be asked to include information on the timetable for and possible details of any intended legislation arising from the party talks in October 2006 in his opening remarks to the Committee. The proposal was agreed.

Mr Buchanan joined the meeting at 2.28pm.

4. Draft Ministerial Code

The Committee noted the paper and further information from OFMDFM on proposed amendments and additions to the Ministerial Code.

Each party gave a short presentation on the draft Ministerial Code and the DUP presented a paper to the Committee.

Mr Robinson proposed that further consideration should be given, prior to restoration of devolution, to the Ministerial Code or elements of it, being given a statutory basis and the extent to which it should comprise issues such as:-

• Increasing collectivity and ensuring Ministerial colleagues inform each other of major decisions.

   

• Accountability between the Executive and the Assembly.
• Accountability of Ministers to the Assembly on North/South Ministerial Council matters.
• Requirement/entitlement of Ministers to attend North/South Ministerial Council meetings
• An obligation for Ministers to attend meetings of the Executive, the North/South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council.
• A commitment to uphold the rule of law.

The proposal was agreed.

5. Consideration of the motion referred by the Committee meeting on 30 August 2006

On 30 August 2006 the Committee referred the following motion for further consideration:-

“That the Committee believes that a breach of the Ministerial Pledge of Office should be actionable in the courts and followed by disqualification from office”

In light of the agreed proposal from Agenda Item 4 above, the Committee decided that there was no need to consider this matter further.

6. Consideration of the motion referred by the Committee meeting on 6 September 2006

On 6 September 2006 the Committee referred the following motion for further consideration:-

“This Committee believes that consideration should be given to incorporating in the Ministerial Pledge of Office support for the rule of law and commitment to urging all 
others to do so”

In light of the agreed proposal from Agenda Item 4 above, the Committee decided that there was no need to consider this matter further.

7. Consideration of the first draft of the PfG report on institutional issues

It was agreed that the Committee’s deliberations on the draft report would not be included in Hansard.

Ms Lewsley left the meeting at 3.30pm.

During this discussion, Ms Long proposed that there was a need for a mechanism to undertake a review of the efficiency of Assembly structures. The proposal was agreed.

8. Next Meeting

The next meeting dealing with institutional issues will be held on Monday, 18 September 2006 at 2.30pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting adjourned at 4.05 pm