Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened in public session at 2.05 p.m.

Apologies

As above.

1.  Chairperson’s Business

WAVE Trauma Centre Research

The Committee noted correspondence from the Speaker advising that the public petition on the “WAVE Trauma Centre Research” has been forwarded to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

Voice of Young People in Care

The Committee considered a request from the Voice of Young People in Care to brief the Committee on its work.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite the Voice of Young People in Care to its stakeholder event in the autumn.

Public Accounts Committee

The Committee noted correspondence from the Public Accounts Committee highlighting its report on former military sites.

Ombudsman Legislative Proposals

The Committee considered and agreed a list of policy decisions in relation to the proposals to update and reform the Office of the Ombudsman.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed to consult with a number of key stakeholders on the proposals.

2.  Draft minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2012

Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 26 June was agreed by the Committee.

3. Matters Arising

Post Project Evaluations

The Committee noted a response from the Department on its outstanding Post Project Evaluations.

ILEX and Contested Spaces Projects

The Committee considered a response from the Department providing updates on the appointment/remuneration of the Chair of ILEX and the monitoring of the Contested Spaces Projects.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek further information on the level of remuneration for the Chair and a comparison with other part-time public sector Chairs.

Mr Lyttle joined the meeting at 2.15 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request a copy of the SMART targets for the Contested Spaces Projects and to request that the Committee is updated on the monitoring and evaluation of the Projects.

Equality Commission for Northern Ireland

The Committee considered a response from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland providing further information on the efforts of the Equality Commission to ensure that it operates as an equal opportunities employer.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Equality Commission to seek further information on the outputs and outcomes of its engagement programme.

List of Outstanding Issues

The Committee noted the list of outstanding issues.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed to clear outstanding correspondence in relation to the Race Relations Amendment Order in light of junior Minister’s statements in the Assembly and in relation to an update on Ministers’ meeting with the Assembly and Executive Review Committee in light of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee’s note of the meeting annexed to its report NIA 52/11-15.

4. Correspondence

All-Party Group on International Development

The Committee considered correspondence from the Chair of the All-Party Group on International Development which provided a copy of its International Development Strategy for Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek its comments on the International Development Strategy for Northern Ireland.

The African and Caribbean Community Support Organisation

The Committee considered a copy of correspondence from the African and Caribbean Community Support Organisation and the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities to the First Minister and deputy First Minister in relation to comments made by the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request that it be copied into the First Minister and deputy First Minister response in due course.  

Historical Institutional Abuse

The Committee considered a response from the First Minister and deputy First Minister to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety in relation to Historical Institutional Abuse.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the response to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety

The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety to the Department in relation the “Protect Life” strategy.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department.

Belfast City Council

The Committee noted a response from Belfast City Council providing an update on the work of the EU Regional Forum.

Annual Reports

The Committee noted Annual Reports from the Northern Ireland Ombudsman and the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

5.  The Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill   

Sir Anthony Hart, Mrs Norah Gibbons and Mr Andrew Bowne joined the meeting at 2.28 p.m.

Mr Buchanan left the meeting at 3.19 p.m.

Sir Anthony Hart, Chair of the Panel, Mrs Norah Gibbons, Acknowledgment Panel member and Mr Andrew Bowne, Secretary to the Inquiry briefed the Committee on the Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill. A question and answer session followed.

Sir Anthony Hart, Mrs Norah Gibbons and Mr Andrew Bowne left the meeting at 3.28 p.m.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Department providing the Delegated Powers memorandum in relation to the Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to share its list of stakeholders with the Inquiry Panel.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed in principle that it would seek an extension to the Committee Stage of the Bill to Friday 26 October 2012.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to a number of statutory committees to seek their views on the Bill.

6.  European Issues

Departmental officials joined the meeting at 3.34 p.m.

Departmental officials, Dr Gerry Mulligan, Dr Paul Geddis and Mr Gordon Browne provided the Committee with an update on the work of the Department in Europe and on the work of the Barroso Taskforce Working Group. A question and answer session followed.

Departmental officials left the meeting at 4.23 p.m.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek further information on the implementation plan for the Executive’s European Priorities 2012-13.

The Deputy Chairperson took the Chair at 4.24 p.m.

Mr Nesbitt left the meeting at 4.24 p.m.

7.  Governance

Departmental officials joined the meeting at 4.25 p.m.

Departmental officials, Mr Noel Lavery, Mr Tim Losty, Mr Stephen Boyd and Mr Gavin Patrick briefed the Committee on the work the Department has undertaken following the qualification of its accounts for 2010-11. A question and answer session followed.

Departmental officials left the meeting at 4.46 p.m.

Agreed: Officials agreed to provide the Committee with further information on how the Assembly and its committees will be involved in the scrutiny of Departments’ performance in relation to their Programme for Government commitments.

8. Any Other Business

No other business.           

9. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held in Room 30, Parliament Buildings on Wednesday 5 September 2012 at 2 p.m.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.46 p.m.

Mr Mike Nesbitt MLA
Chairperson,
Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister