Proceedings of the Committee on the Preparation for Government

7 August 2006

Minutes of the meeting held on Monday, 7 August 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

In the Chair: Jim Wells

Present: Gregory Campbell MP
Dr Sean Farren
Arlene Foster 
Patricia Lewsley
Naomi Long
Kieran McCarthy
Alan McFarland
Michael McGimpsey 
Patsy McGlone
David McNarry
Conor Murphy MP
John O’Dowd
Peter Robinson MP

In Attendance: Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Martin Wilson (Principal Clerk)
Christine Darrah (Assembly Clerk)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Pauline Innes (Clerical Officer)

Observing Francie Molloy (Chairperson)

Brian Barrington (SDLP Researcher) 
Stephen Farry (Alliance Researcher)
Philip Weir (DUP Researcher)


The meeting commenced at 10.03am.

1. Apologies

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

Mr Ford (Mr McCarthy attended the meeting as Alliance representative in place of Mr Ford)

Ms Gildernew MP

Mr Kennedy (Mr McGimpsey attended the meeting as UUPAG representative in place of Mr Kennedy)

Dr McCrea MP (Ms Foster attended the meeting as DUP representative in place of Dr McCrea MP)

Dr McDonnell MP (Mr McGlone attended the meeting as SDLP representative in place of Dr McDonnell MP)

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

Mr Paisley (Mr Robinson attended the meeting as DUP representative in place of Mr Paisley)

Mr McGuinness MP (Mr O’Dowd attended the meeting as Sinn Fein representative in place of Mr McGuinness MP)

2. Previous Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 31 July 2006 were agreed. 

3. Letter from the Secretary of State dated 3 August 2006.

The Committee noted the letter from the Secretary of State dated 3 August 2006 regarding plenaries in September.

4. Discussion on Institutional Issues

The Committee noted the revised list of issues and agreed the order of discussion.

Mr McGlone left the meeting at 10.46am.

Ms Long proposed a move to a weighted majority voting system in the Assembly and the removal of the present community designation system. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Mr Robinson proposed to retain the present community designation system and use a weighted majority and the current cross-community voting system. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Mr McGlone rejoined the meeting at 11.15am.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.22am.

It was agreed that the Committee should give further consideration to the Assembly voting system and if consensus was not then reached, the issue should be referred to a review committee of the Assembly.

Mr McNarry rejoined the meeting at 11.30am.

Mr Robinson proposed that the Executive should be formed by a voluntary coalition. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

It was agreed that the Speaker and Deputy Speakers should be elected by a cross-community vote.

The meeting was suspended at 12.24pm.

The meeting reconvened at 12.47pm.

Mr Robinson proposed that the positions of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister should be filled by separate nominations. The largest party would nominate to the post of First Minister and the larger party from the second largest designation would nominate to the post of Deputy First Minister. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Mr McCarthy left the meeting at 1.03pm.

Ms Long proposed that the entire Executive, including the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, should be subject to a collective vote in the Assembly by a cross-community vote. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

It was agreed that the Committee was content with the petition of concern as it stands.

It was agreed that the Committee would give further consideration to the mechanisms of accountability between the Assembly and the Executive and that this be dealt with under a new fifth heading after ‘Stability’ on the list of issues.

Mr Molloy left the meeting at 1.53pm.

It was agreed that a paper should be prepared for the Committee on the current situation in relation to Executive power and other options.

It was agreed that the Committee of the Centre should be a statutory committee of the Assembly.

Ms Long proposed that D’Hondt should be run once only for the appointment of Ministers, Committee Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons and for membership of Statutory and Standing Committees. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Mr Campbell left the meeting at 2.30pm.

It was agreed that Assembly Committees should have the power to summon chairpersons and Chief Executives of North/South Implementation bodies.

Mr McGimpsey left the meeting at 2.45pm.

Mr Robinson proposed that an Institutional Review Committee should be established to examine the operational aspects of Strand 1. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Mr Murphy proposed that a mechanism should be established in the Assembly to examine operational aspects of Strand 1. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

It was agreed that a mechanism or institutional review be established in the Assembly to examine the operational aspects of Strand 1.

Mr Campbell rejoined the meeting at 2.53pm.
Mr McGimpsey rejoined the meeting at 2.59pm.

It was agreed that multiple mandates should be phased out and that the timing of this should be referred to the mechanism/Institutional Review.

The meeting was suspended at 3.02pm.

The meeting reconvened at 3.10pm.

It was agreed to reduce the number of MLAs and to defer consideration on the mechanism for considering this further.

It was agreed that MLAs would continue to be elected by Single Transferable Vote (STV).

Ms Foster left the meeting at 3.35pm.

It was agreed that a paper should be prepared for the Committee on the legal and factual position with regard to the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) reports and recommendations when the Assembly is operating.

5. Revised Work Programme

The Committee noted the proposed revised work programme.

6. Next Meeting

The Committee will next meet at 10.00am on Wednesday, 9 August 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings to discuss issues relating to the devolution of policing and justice.

It was agreed that the meeting on Monday, 14 August 2006 would be an all-day meeting with lunch provided.

The meeting adjourned at 3.45pm.