Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2009/2010
Date: 24 November 2009
Venue: Room 144
The meeting opened at 11.07am in public session.
1. Apologies
Mrs Carmel Hanna
Mr Danny Kennedy
Mr Ian Paisley Jnr
2. Minutes of Proceedings of meeting held on 17 November 2009
Members agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of the meeting held on 17 November 2009.
3. Matters Arising
The terminology used in the Minutes of Proceedings was discussed, briefly.
Agreed: The Committee Clerk agreed to seek clarification on the use of certain terms.
4. Correspondence – outgoing/incoming
Outgoing correspondence
Members noted the following correspondence
- a letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister, about the MoUs, Protocols and Concordats.
- a letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister, about a paper submitted by John Larkin, QC.
- a letter to the Secretary of State enclosing Lord Ashdown’s letter of 12 November 2009, for information.
- a letter to the Secretary of State, requesting the amended North/South Justice Agreement.
Incoming correspondence
Members noted the following correspondence
- a letter from the First Minister and deputy First Minister acknowledging the Committee’s letter of 17 November 2009, about the MoUs, Protocols and Concordats.
- a letter from the Secretary of State about the paper from the Specialist Adviser.
The Committee discussed a letter from the Clerk of the Committee for Finance and Personnel, seeking clarification on the remit of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee in respect of financial matters relating to the devolution of policing and justice powers and requesting an update on that work.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee Clerk should prepare, for consideration at the next Committee meeting, a response to the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s request.
Agreed: Members further agreed that the Committee Clerk should begin drafting preparatory work on Issue E of the Category Two list of issues (matters relating to the financial aspects of the devolution of policing and justice powers) for inclusion in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members also agreed that the Committee Clerk should present an outline of the structure of the Committee’s report on the devolution of policing and justice matters, at a future meeting.
5. Committee Motion
The Chairperson declared the following interest:
- Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board
The Chairperson invited Members to declare their relevant interests.
Members declared the following interests:
Alex Attwood
- Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board
Alex Maskey
- Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board
This session was recorded by Hansard.
The Committee discussed the decision taken at its meeting on 17 November 2009 to proceed to rescind the Committee motion.
On a proposal from Mr Attwood that:
“The Committee rescinds the decision taken on the 3 November 2009 to proceed with the following Committee Motion:
‘That this Assembly calls on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to provide, to the Northern Ireland Assembly, all the Memoranda of Understanding, Protocols and Concordats which will apply, at the point of devolution of policing and justice matters, forthwith.’”
Question put: The Committee rescinds the decision taken on the 3 November 2009 to proceed with the following Committee motion:
‘That this Assembly calls on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to provide, to the Northern Ireland Assembly, all the Memoranda of Understanding, Protocols and Concordats which will apply, at the point of devolution of policing and justice matters, forthwith.’”
Agreed: The Committee agreed not to proceed with the submission of a Committee Motion to the Business Committee.
6. Devolution of Policing and Justice matters – Category Two list of issues
Members discussed the absence of a response from the John Larkin QC to the invitation to appear before the Committee.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee Clerk should make contact with Mr Larkin.
In light of the decision to not proceed with the Committee Motion, Members considered the question of the outstanding MoUs, Concordats and Protocols.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee Clerk should contact NIO officials with a view to obtaining all the relevant documents. Members further agreed that it would be useful if NIO officials were to appear at a future meeting to brief the Committee on all the relevant documents.
Committee Briefing Paper 11/08/09 – Twenty-third Revision – Consideration of the Category Two List of Issues
Members considered the Category Two List of Issues and reported no change to previously stated positions.
7. Chairperson’s Business
None.
8. Any other business
None.
9. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 1 December 2009 at 11.00 am, in Room 21 in public session.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.36 am.
