Minutes of Proceedings 06 October 2021
Executive Office Agreed Minutes - 06 October 2021.pdf (169.05 kb)
Committee for The Executive Office
Minutes of Proceedings
Wednesday 6th October 2021
Meeting Location: Room 30, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr Colin McGrath MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA
Mr Trevor Lunn MLA
Present via Video Conferencing:
Ms Diane Dodds MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Pat Sheehan MLA
Ms Emma Sheerin MLA
Mr Christopher Stalford MLA
Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Apologies: None.
In Attendance:
Mr Michael Potter (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Carla Campbell (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Sarah-Anne McKinley (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Andrienne Magee (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced at 2:01pm in open session
1. Apologies
As Above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson informed Members that, following the joint letter from the Committee for the Executive Office, the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, Scottish Parliament, and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, Welsh Parliament, the Chairs of those committees are seeking a meeting with Lord Kinnoull to secure assurances of the participation of devolved legislatures in the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly.
The Chairperson updated the Committee on an informal joint meeting of the Committee for the Executive Office and Committee for Justice with the Victims Payments Board held on Wednesday 6 October 2021.
The Chairperson welcomed the publication of the Truth Recovery Design Panel report “Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses in Northern Ireland, Truth, Acknowledgement and Accountability”.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite the Truth Recovery Design Panel to the Committee to present their findings.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Executive Office to ask if staff have been appointed to develop the recommendations made in the report.
The Committee discussed a statement made by Conor Burns MP at the Conservative Party Conference in relation to the UK Government Command Paper on Legacy issues.
The Chairperson expressed disappointment that the Flags Identity Culture and Tradition Report has not yet been published despite junior Ministers expressing a willingness to publish it.
3. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 29th September 2021.
4. Matters Arising
The Chairperson reminded Members that it had been agreed to seek evidence from the travel sector on the Travel Agents (Coronavirus) Financial Assistance Scheme. He referred Members to a paper which detailed a list of potential stakeholders from the sector.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite the stakeholders detailed on the list to provide an oral briefing.
5. The Commission for Victims and Survivors – Oral Briefing
The witnesses joined the meeting at 2:15pm.
- Dr Andrew Sloan, Chief Executive Officer, Commission for Victims and Survivors.
- Dr Katy Radford, Acting Head of Research and Policy, Commission for Victims and Survivors.
- Ms Mary Moreland, Member, Victims and Survivors Forum.
The witnesses briefed Committee Members on the work of the Commission for Victims and Survivors.
Dianne Dodds joined the meeting at 2:55pm.
The oral evidence was followed by a question and answer session.
Alex Easton left the meeting at 3:34pm.
The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Health to urge that the Regional Trauma Service is set up without further delay.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Executive Office to request an update on the process of appointing a Commissioner for Victims and Survivors.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to ask for them to consider to have Departmental Champions for Victims and Survivors.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Secretary of State to object and oppose the proposals for amnesty set out in the UK Government Command Paper
6. Civic Engagement – Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service – Written Briefing
The Committee noted a written briefing from the Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service on models of participatory policy-making.
7. Scrutiny of Arms-Length Bodies – Community Relations Council – Written Briefing
The Committee noted a written briefing from the Community Relations Council.
8. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme for October 2021.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a number of evidence sessions for November 2021.
9. Correspondence
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Infrastructure to the First Minister and deputy First Minister requesting an update on progress with the development of the Infrastructure Commission.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group in relation to the prioritisation of the Committee Work Programme and highlighting the current pressures that Committees, Members and committee staff are facing in the period up to the end of the mandate in March 2022.
- The Committee noted a call for evidence from the Committee for Procedures on the Inquiry into Legislative Consent Motions.
- The Committee noted the UK Government response to the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland Sub-Committee’s Introductory Report.
- The Committee considered correspondence from the NI Human Rights Commission in relation to their Strategic Planning Process.
The Chairperson expressed his thanks to the outgoing Chief Commissioner Les Allamby for his work with the Committee and welcomed Alyson Kilpatrick as the new Chief Commissioner. - The Committee noted correspondence from Terra Travel requesting an invitation to present to the Committee.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs welcoming the engagement by the Committee for the Executive Office with the Climate Change (No.1) Bill sponsor and noting the key points raised.
- The Committee noted a response from the Department for Communities in relation to Article 2 of The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland and European Commission Proposal on Pay Transparency.
- The Committee considered a response from the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland’s office advising that the invitation to provide evidence to the Committee could not be fulfilled as there is currently no Commissioner for Public Appointments in post.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to ask for an update on the recruitment process for the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland.
10. Any Other Business
None.
11. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday 13 October 2021 at 2:00pm, in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:38pm.
Colin McGrath MLA
Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office
