Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened at 1.33pm in Public Session .

1. Apologies

As above

2. Minutes of last two meeting

The Committee agreed the Minutes of the meeting of 25 November 2008

3. Matters arising

(a) Correspondence Issued

The Committee noted the correspondence issued since the meeting of 25 November 2008.

The Committee noted correspondence issued to the department in respect to queries arising from the meeting of 25 November 2008.

(b) Correspondence received

The Committee noted the correspondence received since the meeting of 25 November 2008.

The Committee noted correspondence received from the department on the Wind Turbine Review.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel which seeks Committee input into a focused scrutiny of public procurement practices in Northern Ireland.

The Committee noted correspondence received from the Clerk to the Committee for Regional Development on NI Environment link correspondence regarding badger culls.

The Committee noted the responses from the department to queries arising from the meeting of 18 November 2008 and in regards to the Better Regulation Review.

(c) Tabled Correspondence

Members noted tabled correspondence.

The Committee noted correspondence received from the department in relation to the Wind Turbine Review.

The Committee noted correspondence received from the Clerk for the Committee on Procedures on their inquiry into Assembly Questions. It was agreed to forward the correspondence to the department.

The Committee noted the correspondence issued to the Rt. Hon Hilary Benn MP on the Committee’s concerns over the Northern Ireland Fishing Industry.

4. Presentation – DARD Direct Offices

John Doherty, Noel Griffin, Mary Keys and Gerard Higgins, representatives from NIPSA, joined the meeting at 1.41pm and made a presentation on their concerns in relation to the DARD Direct Offices. Following their presentation, Members asked questions.

Edwin Poots joined the meeting at 1.40pm.
Pat Doherty joined the meeting at 1.42pm.
George Savage joined the meeting at 1.44pm.
Tom Elliott joined the meeting at 1.45pm.
Thomas Burns joined the meeting at 1.55pm.
William Irwin left the meeting at 2.10pm.
The representatives left the table at 2.10pm.

John Thompson and Wesley Ashton, representatives from Ulster Farmers’ Union, joined the meeting at 2.10pm and made a presentation on their concerns in relations to the DARD Direct Offices. Following their presentation, Members asked questions.

Edwin Poots left the meeting at 2.19pm.
Edwin Poots joined the meeting at 2.20pm.
The representatives left the table at 2.23pm.

Roy McClenaghan and Pauline Rooney, department officials, joined the meeting at 2.24pm and made a presentation on the DARD Direct Offices. Following their presentation, Members asked questions.

William Irwin joined the meeting at 2.26pm.
Pat Doherty left the meeting at 2.48pm.
Pat Doherty joined the meeting at 3.00pm.

The officials and representatives left the meeting at 3.01pm.

5. Presentation – DARD – December Monitoring Round

John Smith, Peter Scott and Anne Dorbie, department officials, joined the meeting at 3.02pm and presented to Committee on the above mentioned legislation. Following the presentation, Members asked questions.

George Savage left the meeting at 3.02pm.
George Savage joined the meeting at 3.10pm.
Tom Elliott left the meeting at 3.31pm.
Edwin Poots left the meeting at 3.32pm.
Tom Elliott joined the meeting at 3.34pm.
Edwin Poots joined the meeting at 3.34pm

Proposal: that the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development presents a business case on Flood – affected Farmers to the Minister for Finance and Personnel.

For:
Dr McCrea
PJ Bradley
T Clarke
W Clarke
P Doherty
T Elliott
W Irwin
E Poots
G Savage

Against: None

Pat Doherty left the meeting at 4.02pm.

The officials left the meeting at 4.02pm.

6. Pre-consultation – Swine Vesicular Disease Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008

The Committee agreed that officials should present to Committee when a detailed analysis of responses has been undertaken.

William Irwin left the meeting at 4.03pm.

7. SL1 – The European Fisheries Fund (Grants) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008

It was agreed that the above legislation should move on to the next stage.

8. SR– The Organic Farming (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008

Question put and agreed.

That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered The Organic Farming (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and has no objection to the rule.

9. SR – The Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008

Question put and agreed.

That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered The Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and has no objection to the rule.

10. Future Presentation

The Committee Clerk briefed Members on the future business of the Committee. It was agreed to proceed as proposed.

11. AOB

The Committee agreed that the department should provide an update on the Refunding of Exports in relation to Northern Ireland’s dairy industry.

William Irwin joined the meeting at 4.04pm.

The Committee agreed to write to the Competition Commission and the Office for Fair Trading in relation to the disparity in prices being offered to Northern Ireland farmers and those in the remainder of the UK.

The Committee agreed that the Committee’s researcher should prepare a paper on subsidised insurance schemes for farm businesses.

12. Date of the next meeting

The next Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday 9 December 2008 at 1.30pm in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 4.10pm.