Minutes of Proceedings - 04 September 2001
Present: Mr Francie Molloy (Chairman)
Mr James Leslie (Deputy Chairman)
Mr A Attwood
Mr Seamus Close
Ms P Lewsley
Mr A Maskey
Mr P Robinson MP
Mr Peter Weir
In attendance: Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
Mr Peter Hughes (Clerk)
Mrs Sheila Mc Clelland (Clerk)
Mr Joe Sloan (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Sharon Bowman (Executive Support)
Mr Jonathan Briggs (Administrative Support)
The Chairman declared the meeting open at 2.34 p.m and introduced the new Committee staff to the Committee. The meeting was held in open session
1. Apologies
1.1 None
2. Minutes of Proceedings
2.1 Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings for 3 July 2001.
3. Matters arising
3.1 The Committee noted the papers issued during the summer recess.
3.2 The Committee considered the correspondence between the Law Society and the Minister of Finance and Personnel regarding concerns raised by the Law Society following the introduction of a computerised system in the Registry of Deeds. The Committee agreed to invite representatives from the Law Society and Departmental officials to its next meeting to discuss the issue.
Mr Attwood attended at 2.39 p.m.
3.3 The Committee was briefed by the Principal Clerk on the arrangements for the seminars on the financial cycle and the role of committees planned for 6 and 12 September.
4. Executive's Position Report to the Assembly: Developing the Programme for Government and the Budget for 2002/03.
4.1 The Clerk presented a draft Committee Report on Statutory Committee responses to the Executive's Position Report.
Mr Maskey attended at 2.58 p.m.
4.2 The Committee considered the Report and agreed amendments to paragraphs 5.3, 5.8, 6.2 and 6.4, and the inclusion of a new appendix outlining the breakdown of departmental bids.
4.3 Resolved: The Committee agreed the report subject to the changes discussed.
4.4 Resolved: The Committee ordered the draft report to be printed.
Mr Attwood left the meeting at 3.12 p.m.
5. Departmental Business Programme
5.1 Departmental officials Mr Norman Irwin and Mr David Sterling briefed the Committee and answered questions on the Department of Finance and Personnel's proposed Business Programme for September to December 2001. Mr Irwin agreed to provide the Committee with an explanation for the delay in processing the Matrimonial Proceedings and Family Law Bill, which had completed its consultation stage in late 1999.
6. Correspondence
6.1 The Committee noted the correspondence from the Minister of Finance and Personnel in relation to the purchase of Ormiston House and from the Committee on the Administration of Justice regarding the Executive's Position Report: Developing the Programme for Government and the Budget for 2002/03.
7. Any other Business
7.1 The Principal Clerk briefed the Committee on his discussions with the Assembly's Research Service and his proposal to have dedicated Research Service staff undertake a relevant training and development programme, which would enhance their ability to service the work of the Committee. He also sought the Committee's views on a number of proposals designed to ensure that Research Services are involved more often in the Committee's work at the earliest opportunity so that papers presented to the Committee are comprehensive, timely and prepared to an agreed standard and protocol.
7.2 Resolved: The Committee agreed that the Principal Clerk should pursue these issues.
8. Date of next meeting
8.1 The Committee agreed the next meeting as Tuesday, 11 September 2001.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 3.43 p.m.
