Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Note of informal CAERA meeting via Microsoft Teams video conferencing facility on 14 May 2020

Members present:   

Declan McAleer (Chairperson)
Philip McGuigan (Deputy Chairperson)
Clare Bailey
Rosemary Barton
John Blair
Pat Catney
Harry Harvey
William Irwin

Staff present:           

Stella McArdle
Barbara Love
Elaine Farrell
Marion Johnston
Marrianne McGuiggan

Members had been issued various briefing documents and correspondence from the Department through the Post Box facility on their tablets. The following items were considered and discussed:

1. COVID 19 update from the Department. Members agreed to forward any questions on the COVID 19 update to the Clerk by 12 noon.

Members agreed to publish the Department’s COVID 19 update and response to previous questions on the Committee web page.

Members agreed to issue a Tweet to inform that the COVID 19 update was now published on the Committee web page.

Members noted correspondence from the Department on the launch of the consultation on the Horse Racing (NI) Order 1990 and agreed to consider an oral briefing at a future date following analysis of the consultation responses.

2. SR 2020/075: The Direct Payments to Farmers (Crop Diversification Derogation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020. The Committee considered the SR and noted the report from the Examiner of Statutory Rules which advises that there are no issues with the regulations. The question was put and agreed:

That the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has considered SR 2020/075: The Direct Payments to Farmers (Crop Diversification Derogations) Regulations 2020 and recommends that it be confirmed by the Assembly.

3. Correspondence from the Department on the European Commission Support for the agri-food sector during the Covid 19 pandemic.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department, NIMEA and LMC to request that it is kept informed of the level of uptake by the local processors and whether this has helped to stabilise market turbulence and outline any other issues which have emerged.

4 Correspondence from the Department on the launch of the Northern Ireland Air Quality App and the 2018 Report on Air Pollution in Northern Ireland.

The Committee agreed to schedule an oral briefing with the Department on air pollution and to outline its proposals to address the issue at an appropriate time in the future.

5. Correspondence from the Committee for the Economy on its launch of a micro inquiry on the Energy Strategy. Members noted the correspondence.

6. Press Release on Food Standards and the UK Agriculture Bill. Members agreed the draft Press Release subject to an amendment to include a line regarding the Committee’s disappointment that an amendment to provide a Sunset Clause had been defeated.

Members agreed to reactivate engagement with the House of Lords EU Committee to discuss areas of concern regarding the Agriculture Bill.

7. Correspondence from the British Veterinary Association on the amendments to testing during the Covid-19 outbreak. Members noted the correspondence.

8. Correspondence from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP on the Committee’s request for support for the agri-food industry. Members noted the correspondence and agreed to publish it on the Committee’s webpage.

9. Correspondence from Claire Hanna MP on the Committee’s request for support for the agri-food industry. Members noted the correspondence and agreed to publish it on the Committee’s webpage.

10. Correspondence from Ian Paisley MP on the Committee’s request for support for the agri-food industry. Members noted the correspondence and agreed to publish it on the Committee’s webpage.

11. Forward Work Programme. Members agreed the Forward Work Programme 14 May – 2 July 2020 and agreed to publish it on the Committee’s webpage.