Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened at 11:06 am in public session.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Minutes of Proceedings of meeting held on 26 February 2008

The Committee noted that, as agreed at 26 February Committee meeting, the minutes of that meeting had been signed by the Deputy Chairperson and distributed to Members on 27 February 2008.

11:09 am Carmel Hanna joined the meeting

Members noted that a letter had been sent to the Clerk of the Committee on Procedures on 19 March 2008 regarding the need for a change to be made to the Assembly’s Standing Orders to allow the new Attorney General for Northern Ireland (when appointed by OFMdFM) to report to the Assembly.

Agreed: That the Clerk write to OFMdFM regarding recommendation 21 of the report on the Inquiry into the Devolution of Policing and Justice matters and highlighting the need to make preparations for the appointment of an Attorney General for Northern Ireland.

3. Forward Work Programme / Meeting Dates

Agreed : That the Committee will meet on a fortnightly basis.

4. Inquiry into multiple mandates

The following interests were declared:

Jimmy Spratt:

• Castlereagh Borough Council
• Chairman N.I Joint Council
• Member of National Joint Council, London
• Member, NILGA

Ian McCrea:

• Member, Cookstown District Council
• Member, NILGA

Nelson McCausland:

• Member, Belfast City Council

Danny Kennedy:

• Member, Newry and Mourne District Council

Carmel Hanna:

• Member, Belfast City Council

John O’Dowd:

• Member, Craigavon Borough Council

4.1 Committee’s remit/background

Members noted the briefing paper at Tab 1 which explained the remit of the Committee in relation to the issue of multiple mandates.

11:25 am Danny Kennedy left the meeting

Members noted the party position papers at Tab 2 of their packs regarding the issue of multiple mandates.

Members noted the research papers at Tab 3 of their packs regarding the issue of multiple mandates and ‘conflicts of interest’ and heard a presentation from the Assembly’s Research and Library Services summarising these papers.

Agreed:

• That the Chairperson should write to the leaders of the political parties inviting their views on how to move forward with the issue of multiple mandates in light of the recent announcements of the Review of Public Administration.
• That the deadline for submission of the revised papers from the Political Parties should be 29April for consideration by the Committee in early May.

11:30 am Raymond McCartney joined the meeting

Agreed:

• That the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson should meet with their counterparts on the Environment Committee to discuss a potential overlap of business and report to the Committee thereon.

11:46 am Danny Kennedy joined the meeting

Agreed:

• That the Committee did not consider, at this stage, that there was any merit in visiting other legislatures to investigate how the issue of multiple mandates has been dealt with.

5. Draft Press Release

Members agreed the draft press release.

6. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 22 April at 11.00 am in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.50 am.

Mr Jimmy Spratt
Chairperson, Assembly and Executive Review Committee

22 April 2008