Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2011/2012
Date: 09 November 2011
Venue: Room 30
The meeting opened in public session at 2.10 p.m.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
Commission on the UK Bill of Rights
The Chairperson advised Members of the joint informal meeting with the Committee for Justice and the Commission on a UK Bill of Rights, which was held at lunch time today.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Commission on a UK Bill Rights to thank them for meeting with Members and to advise that the Committee will not be making a written submission to the consultation, but would be interested in being kept informed of progress.
Mr Spratt joined the meeting at 2.11 p.m.
Committee Invitations
The Committee noted the list of current invitations.
CBI Request
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule an informal meeting with the CBI to discuss “Protected Conversations” around employees’ retirement plans.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2011
Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 19 October 2011 was agreed by the Committee.
4. Children and Young People
Junior Ministers and Departmental officials joined the meeting at 2.18 p.m.
Mr Lyttle joined the meeting at 2.24 p.m.
Junior Minster Bell MLA, Junior Minister Anderson MLA and Departmental officials Mr Denis McMahon and Mr Stephen Donnelly briefed the Committee on Children and Young People’s Issues. A question and answer session followed.
Mr Eastwood left the meeting at 3.31 p.m.
Junior Ministers and Departmental officials left the meeting at 3.40 p.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule in a briefing from Departmental officials on the new proposed Outcomes Framework to the Forward Work Programme.
Ms Ruane left the meeting at 3.41 p.m.
Mr Spratt left the meeting at 3.41 p.m.
Only four Members were present and therefore the Committee was unable to make decisions.
5. Proposals to Update Legislation to Reform the office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman
Representatives from the National Union of Students – Union of Students (NUS-USI) joined the meeting at 3.42 p.m.
Ms Adrianne Peltz, President of NUS-USI, Mr Usman Ali, NUS Higher Education Officer, Ms Claire Flanagan University of Ulster Students Union President and Mr Adam McGibbon Queen’s University Students Union Vice-President briefed the Committee on whether to include Further Education and Higher Education within the Northern Ireland Ombudsman’s jurisdiction. A question and answer session followed.
Representatives from the National Union of Students – Union of Students left the meeting at 4.27 p.m.
Representatives from the Northern Ireland Social Care Council joined the meeting at 4.27 p.m.
Mr Brendan Johnston and Mrs Patricia Higgins from the Northern Ireland Social Care Council briefed the Committee on their role in investigating complaints and their relationship with the Northern Ireland Ombudsman. A question and answer session followed.
Representatives from the Northern Ireland Social Care Council left the meeting at 4.41 p.m.
Representatives from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority joined the meeting at 4.41 p.m.
Mr Glenn Houston, Mr Phelim Quinn and Ms Theresa Nixon from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority briefed the Committee on their role in investigating complaints and their relationship with the Northern Ireland Ombudsman. A question and answer session followed.
Representatives from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority left the meeting at 5.00 p.m.
6. Any Other Business
Members discussed items of correspondence.
7. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be in Room 30, Parliament Buildings on Wednesday 16 November 2011 at 2 p.m.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 5.07 p.m.
