Committee for Health
Minutes of Proceedings - Tuesday 22 March 2022
Committee for Health - Minutes of Proceedings - Tuesday 22 March 2022.pdf (157.36 kb)
Committee for Health
Minutes of Proceedings
Tuesday, 22 March 2022
Meeting Location: Virtual meeting
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Colm Gildernew MLA (Chairperson)
Pam Cameron MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Paula Bradshaw MLA
Deborah Erskine MLA
Órlaithí Flynn MLA
Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
In Attendance by Video or Teleconference:
Keith McBride (Clerk)
Roisin Donnelly (Assistant Clerk)
Deirdre Farry (Assistant Clerk)
Jonathan Lamont (Clerical Supervisor)
Brendan Miskelly (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced at 12.50 pm in public session.
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
2. Food Compositional Standards and Labelling Common Framework – Briefing from the Food Standards Agency
The following officials from the Food Standards Agency joined the meeting by video-conference at 12.51 pm:
- Emily Miles, Chief Executive; and
- Maria Jennings, Director for Northern Ireland.
The FSA officials briefed the Committee on the Food Compositional Standards and Labelling Common Framework.
A question and answer session followed.
Paula Bradshaw joined the meeting at 12.58 pm.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for their attendance.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the Food Compositional Standards and Labelling Common Framework.
3. Committee Legacy Report
The Committee considered its draft legacy report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the final report would be considered at the meeting on 24 March 2022.
4. SR 2022/100 The Recovery of Health Services Charges (Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
The Committee considered SR 2022/100 The Recovery of Health Services Charges (Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 which applies an inflationary uplift to tariff levels of the scheme that provides for the collection of the costs incurred by hospitals and ambulance services in treating the casualties of road accidents.
Agreed: The Committee considered SR 2022/100 The Recovery of Health Services Charges (Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 and had no objection to the Rule.
5. SR 2022/104 The Health and Social Care Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (General Dental and Ophthalmic Services Consequential and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
The Committee considered SR 2022/104 The Health and Social Care Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (General Dental and Ophthalmic Services Consequential and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 to amend regulations relating to Dental and Ophthalmic primary care provision for Northern Ireland consequential to the closure of the Health and Social Care Board.
Agreed:The Committee considered SR 2022/104 The Health and Social Care Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (General Dental and Ophthalmic Services Consequential and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 and had no objection to the Rule.
6. SR 2022/106 The Regulation and Improvement Authority (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
The Committee considered SR 2022/106 The Regulation and Improvement Authority (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 which will reduce the frequency of RQIA inspections of dental practices from once every year to a minimum of once in every 24-month period.
Agreed: The Committee considered SR 2022/106 The Regulation and Improvement Authority (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 and had no objection to the Rule.
7. SR 2022/116 The Pharmaceutical Services (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
The Committee considered SR 2022/116 The Pharmaceutical Services (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 which amends and omits references to the Health and Social Care Board within the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997.
Agreed: The Committee considered SR 2022/116 The Pharmaceutical Services (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules’ report, had no objection to the Rule.
8. SL1: Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
The Committee considered a proposal by the Department of Health to make a statutory rule which seeks to amend the Firefighters’ Pension Schemes in order to align with similar changes that are being introduced to firefighters’ pensions in England. The Statutory Rule will ensure equal treatment for all members by moving all members into the 2015 Firefighter Pension Scheme on 1 April 2022, irrespective of age.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the proposal for the Statutory Rule.
9. SL1: Health and Social Care Pension Schemes (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
The Committee considered a proposal by the Department of Health to make a statutory rule to ensure equal treatment for all members by moving all members into the 2015 HSC Pension Scheme on 1 April 2022 irrespective of age.
The Chairperson declared an interest as formerly being employed as a social worker with a HSC Trust and currently taking a career break.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the proposal for the Statutory Rule.
10. SL1: Children’s Social Care (Consequential Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
The Committee considered a proposal by the Department of Health to make a statutory rule to: confer responsibility for exercising specified social care and children functions to Health and Social Care Trusts; to support the transfer of functions under the Adoption Order and Children Order to HSC Trusts, and to ensure necessary representation on the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland, following the dissolution of the Regional Board.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the proposal for the Statutory Rule.
11. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Health was scheduled to take place at 9.30 am on Thursday, 24 March 2022.
The meeting was adjourned at 1.23 pm.
Colm Gildernew MLA,
Chairperson, Committee for Health
