Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Note of informal CAERA meeting via Microsoft Teams video conferencing facility on 28 May 2020
Members present:
Declan McAleer (Chairperson)
Philip McGuigan (Deputy Chairperson)
Clare Bailey
Rosemary Barton
John Blair
Maurice Bradley
Harry Harvey
William Irwin
Patsy McGlone
Staff present:
Stella McArdle
Barbara Love
Elaine Farrell
Marion Johnston
Marrianne McGuiggan
The Chairperson welcomed Patsy McGlone to the Committee and advised that he had replaced Pat Catney. Members agreed to write a letter to Pat Catney to thank him for his time on the Committee.
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. UK Government Environment Bill LCM: Consideration of Evidence.
Barbara briefed the Committee on the key issues and evidence gathered on the LCM. This was followed by a discussion with the Committee with suggested amendments and additional points agreed. The revised draft report will be presented to the Committee to incorporate the amendments and to seek agreement for the report.
2. 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.
3. The Direct Payments to Farmers (Penalty Simplification) Regulations (NI) 2020. Members considered the SL1 which proposes to allow for the simplification of the penalty regime for farmers who declare land on the Single Application Form that is deemed not eligible. The Committee agreed that it was content that the policy moves to the next legislative stage.
4. Written Briefing on the proposed Departmental consultation for future Further Education support and charging policy at CAFRE. The Committee agreed to request a written briefing on the outcome of the consultation and the proposals going forward.
5. Written briefing from the Department on the Emission Trading Scheme and the proposal for the establishment of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme after 31 December 2020. The Committee agreed to request an oral briefing from the Department on the secondary legislation and any further legislation under the Withdrawal Agreement. The Committee agreed to forward the written briefing from the Department to the Committee for the Economy for comment.
6. Correspondence from the Rural Community Network to the Committee for the Economy and copied to the Committee on rural broadband issues and proposals for how the issue can be taken forward.
(a) The Committee agreed to write to the Department for the Economy to request an update on Project Stratum and to seek its views on the issues raised by the Rural Community Network as to ascertain if it has received advice from the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport.
(b) The Committee agreed to write to the Department for Education to seek its views on the issues identified in respect of home learning during the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated problems with poor broadband connection and ask that it liaises with the Department for the Economy to feed into Project Stratum.
(c) The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for the Economy and the Committee for Education to seek their views on the issues identified by the Rural Community Network.
7. Copied correspondence from the Department to John Blair on the Glenavy Fish Kill incident. The Committee noted the correspondence and agreed to request an update on the fish kill incident that also occurred on the Moyola River. The Committee noted that a detailed written briefing from the Department on fill kill and pollution incidents has already been requested and will be provided in due course.
8. Draft Forward Work Programme. The Committee noted that an informal meeting with the House of Lords EU Environment Sub Committee has been organised for 25 June 2020 at 10.00 a.m. The Committee agreed to write to a range of stakeholders to seek their views on the Protocol and the UK Command paper. The Committee agreed the Forward Work Programme and agreed to publish it on the Committee webpage.
9. Note of the Informal Meeting on 21 May 2020. The Committee agreed the note of the meeting and that it should be published on the Committee webpage.
10. AOB. The Chairperson advised that a Tweet would issue later today regarding seeking views on how the £25m funding for farmers and horticulture should be allocated. The deadline for response will be 3 June 2020.
11. Date and time of the next meeting will be Thursday 4 June 2020 at 4.00 p.m. in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
