Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Note of informal CAERA meeting via Microsoft Teams video conferencing facility on 21 May 2020

Members present:   

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

Apologies: 

John Blair

Staff present:           

Stella McArdle
Barbara Love
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 that the response from the Department on Covid-19 related issues would be delayed next week due to the Bank Holiday.

Members discussed the meeting with the Minister scheduled for 22 May 2020 on the allocation of £25m from the additional funding scheme for farmers and the horticulture business. Members agreed to write to the Finance Committee to ask if the £25m additional funding is being allocated from the UK Treasury or from the NI Block Grant.

2. SL1: The Direct Payments to Farmers Single Application Amendment Date (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020.

The Committee considered the SL1 which will allow changes to the single application for Direct Payments until the 9 June 2020 without penalty due to the ongoing pressures with Covid-19. The Committee agreed that it was content with the merits of the policy and that it should move to the next legislative stage.

3. SL1: The Edible Crabs (Prohibition on Landing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

The Committee considered the SL1 which will prohibit the landing of berried (egg-carrying) brown crabs. The Committee agreed that it was content with the merits of the policy and that it should move to the next legislation stage.

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4. SL1: The Edible Crabs (Minimum Landing Size) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020

The Committee considered the SL1 which will increase the current minimum landing size for edible crabs from 130mm carapace width to 140mm. The Committee agreed that it was content with the merits of the policy and that is should move to the next legislative stage.

5. Correspondence from the Committee for Justice on its call for evidence for the Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill.

The Committee noted the correspondence which has issued to all departments and Assembly Statutory Committees on a call for evidence for the Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill.

6. Correspondence from the EU Affairs Officer on the Implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Committee considered the correspondence on the Implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol and agreed to request a written brief from the Department on its role across the required implementation measures, Border Control Points, its planning and budgetary considerations.

The Committee agreed to commission a RaISe paper on the Protocol and the Joint Committee to include key issues that the Committee may wish to take forward.

7. Correspondence from the EU Affairs Officer on the Revised EU Drinking Water Directive.

The Committee considered the correspondence and agreed to request a written brief from the Department on its position on the directive.

The Clerk advised the Committee that following agreement at the last informal meeting on 14 May 2020, interaction with the House of Lords, Environment Sub Committee had taken place to discuss the Protocol and other related issues. It has proposed having a meeting with the Committee on a date after 24 June 2020. Members agreed that they were content with the proposal.

8. Correspondence from the Department on issues raised at the Committee meeting on 6 May 2020.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department to highlight that Scotland uses mobile Covid-19 testing units in rural areas and to ask that this be considered as model of good practice.

9. Correspondence from the Committee for Communities on a briefing paper provided by SOLACE.

The Committee noted the correspondence which provided a briefing paper from SOLACE on the financial impact of Covid-19 on Local Government.

10. Correspondence from the Livestock and Meat Commission on EU Private Storage Aid.

The Committee noted the correspondence from the Livestock and Meat Commission which provides an update on the meat and dairy produce which has been offered for storage. The Committee agreed to publish the correspondence on the Committee webpage.

11. Correspondence from the Department on the Agricultural Wages Order (Amendment) 2020.

The Committee noted the correspondence on the Agricultural Wages Order (Amendment) 2020 which supersedes the 2019 Order in respect of the minimum rate of wages.

12. Draft Forward Work Programme.

The Clerk provided a briefing on the draft Forward Work Programme and the introduction of the Starleaf system for committee meetings and agreed to trial it at the meeting on 28 May 2020 on an informal basis before the formal meeting. Members are to consider a range of options for using this system at future meetings.

The Committee agreed the Forward Work Programme 21 May – 2 July 2020 and agreed to publish it on the Committee’s webpage.

13. Note of the Informal Meeting on 14 May 2020

The Committee agreed the note of the informal meeting on 14 May 2020 and agreed to publish it on the Committee webpage.

14. Correspondence from the Department confirming the attendance of the Minister at the meeting on 1 July 2020.

The Committee noted the correspondence confirming the Minister’s attendance at the meeting on 1 July 2020 in the Senate Chamber at 4.00 p.m.