Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2010/2011
Date: 12 October 2010
Venue: Room 21
The meeting opened at 11.05 am in closed session.
1. Apologies
2. Minutes of Proceedings of meeting held on 28 September 2010
Members agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of the meeting held on 28 September 2010.
3. Matters arising
None.
4. Chairperson’s Business
None.
5. Correspondence
Outgoing Correspondence
5.1 Members noted a letter to the junior Ministers in relation to the ‘size’ of the Assembly (in terms of the number of MLAs) and on sections 16A-16C of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (appointment of Ministers).
5.2 Members noted letters to Party Leaders in relation to the ‘size’ of the Assembly (in terms of the number of MLAs) and on sections 16A-16C of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (appointment of Ministers).
5.3 Members noted a reminder letter to Members in relation to the ‘size’ of the Assembly (in terms of the number of MLAs) and on sections 16A-16C of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (appointment of Ministers).
6. Party Submissions
11.09 am John O’Dowd joined the meeting
There was some discussion around the party submissions.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Alliance Party and the Green Party as well as Independents; Dr Kieran Deeny, Alan McFarland, Gerry McHugh and Dawn Purvis – to receive their submissions the ‘size’ of the Assembly (in terms of the number of MLAs) and on sections 16A-16C of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (appointment of Ministers).
Agreed: Members also agreed to grant the other parties of the Assembly not represented on the Committee ‘observer status’.
Agreed: Members agreed at all future meetings of the Committee where the ‘size’ of the Assembly (in terms of the number of MLAs) and on sections 16A-16C of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (appointment of Ministers) was discussed that it would be in closed session and recorded by Hansard but not published in advance of any outcome.
Agreed: Members agreed to commission research on the status of the Electoral Reform Bill.
7. Any other Business
None.
8. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place in either Room 29 on 19 October 2010 or Room 21 on 2 November 2010 at 11.00 am, at the discretion of the Chairperson and deputy Chairperson, pending receipt of a submission from the Alliance Party.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.20 am.
