Minutes of Proceedings

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

Apologies

As above

1. Chairperson’s Business

Visit to Dublin/Brussels

The Committee considered the Committee’s proposed visit to Dublin and Brussels on 30 January 2013.

Agreed: Members agreed to forward to the Committee office this week party nominees for the Brussels leg of the visit.

List of Invitations

The Committee noted the list of current invitations.

Community Relations Week

The Committee considered a request from the Community Relations Council to sponsor the use of the Long Gallery for an event on 14 May 2013 in relation to Community Relations Week.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to sponsor the use of the Long Gallery for this event.

Commissioner for Victims and Survivors

The Chairperson provided the Committee with an overview of the informal meeting with the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors on Tuesday 11 December.

2. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2012

Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 5 December 2012 was agreed by the Committee.

3. Matters Arising

Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse

The Committee noted a response from the Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse providing clarification regarding incomplete applications received.

Minister for Education

The Committee noted a response from the Minister for Education advising that he is content with the Committee’s proposals to include schools within the proposed Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman jurisdiction.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to request their response to the Committee’s proposals.

Mr Givan joined the meeting at 2.14 p.m.

List of Outstanding Issues

The Committee noted the list of outstanding issues.

Agreed: The Committee noted that no proposal to re-schedule the cancelled briefing on monitoring PfG delivery had been received from OFMDFM and agreed to write to the Department in this regard.

4. Correspondence

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People

The Committee considered correspondence from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People highlighting the publication of its Report: Still Vulnerable – The Impact of Early Childhood Experiences on Adolescent Suicide and Accidental Death.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing from the Commissioner on this report into the Forward Work Programme.

Big Lottery Fund

The Committee noted correspondence from the Big Lottery Fund highlighting the publication of a report on the findings from its consultation on proposals for a new programme in Northern Ireland.

Bryson Charitable Group

The Committee noted correspondence from the Bryson Charitable Group highlighting their latest Annual Review for 2011-12.

Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment

The Committee noted a request from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to forward correspondence to OFMDFM in relation to the monitoring of the accuracy of information on the Strategic Investment Board’s on-line portal.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this correspondence to OFMDFM.

Committee for Finance and Personnel

The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel providing a copy of a research paper on Financial Forecasting Performance Data.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing from the Assembly’s Research and Information Service on the research paper.

Ad-hoc Committee on Conformity with Equality Requirements, Welfare Reform Bill

The Committee noted a request from the Ad-hoc Committee on Conformity with Equality Requirements - Welfare Reform Bill to forward correspondence to OFMDFM seeking a written briefing on the role of the Equality Commission in ensuring that legislation is screened according to Section 75 considerations.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this correspondence to OFMDFM.

Police Service Staff- Pay Issues

The Committee noted a copy of an update from PSNI staff in relation to equal pay issues.

Rural Proofing

The Committee noted correspondence from the OFMDFM on rural proofing of the Social Investment Fund and the Contested Spaces Programme. The Committee also noted a Department of Agriculture and Rural Development paper: The Essential Guide to Rural Proofing.

Delivering Social Change

The Committee noted correspondence from the Department providing a copy of the current draft of the Children and Young Persons Early Action Paper.

5. European Commission Work Programme Pilot Project  

The Committee considered the Assembly’s Research and Information Service’s Report on the European Commission’s Work Programme for 2013.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to all statutory committees enclosing the relevant sections of the report and requesting that committees respond providing details of their priorities in relation to European issues and proposed actions.

Mr Moutray joined the meeting at 2.21 p.m.

The Chairperson advised Members that he had to leave the meeting and requested nominations for a Temporary Chairperson

Mr Eastwood nominated Mr Maskey; this was seconded by Mr Robinson. There were no other nominations.    

Agreed: The Committee agreed that Mr Maskey would take the role of Temporary Chairperson.

Mr Nesbitt left the meeting at 2.24 p.m.

Mr Maskey took the Chair at 2.24 p.m.

6. Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission  

Representatives from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission joined the meeting at 2.25 p.m.

Mr McCallister joined the meeting at 2.26 p.m.

Mr Eastwood left the meeting at 2.43 p.m.

Representatives from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Mrs Virginia McVea, Mr David Russell and Mr Colin Caughey briefed the Committee on its 2012 Annual Statement on human Rights in Northern Ireland. A question and answer session followed.

Representatives from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission left the meeting at 2.52 p.m.

7. January Monitoring Round  

Departmental officials joined the meeting at 2.53 p.m.

Mr Givan left the meeting at 2.53 p.m.

Mr McCallister joined the meeting at 2.27 p.m.

Mr Moutray left the meeting at 2.57 p.m.

Departmental officials, Mr Noel Lavery, Mr Stephen Boyd and Mr Gavin
Patrick briefed the Committee on the Departments January Monitoring Round proposals. A question and answer session followed. Officials agreed to provide the Committee with details of any changes to its proposals before the deadline date of 3 January 2013.

8. Governance  

Departmental officials, Mr Noel Lavery, Mr Stephen Boyd and Mr Gavin
Patrick briefed the Committee on governance issues arising from the qualification of the Department’s accounts for 2010/11. A question and answer session followed.

Departmental officials left the meeting at 3.16 p.m.

9. Any Other Business

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme

10. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held in Room 30, Parliament Buildings on Wednesday 9 January 2013 at 2 p.m.

The Temporary Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.17 p.m.

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