Committee for the Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings - Wednesday 2nd February 2022

Committee for the Executive Office - Meeting 2 February 2022 - Agreed Minutes.pdf (187.81 kb)

Committee for the Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings

Wednesday 2nd February 2022

Meeting Location: Room 30 Parliament Buildings

Present:                   

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)

Ms Emma Sheerin MLA

Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA

Mr Pat Sheehan MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:

Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Ms Diane Dodds MLA

Apologies:

Mr Alex Easton MLA

Mr Trevor Lunn MLA

Mr Christopher Stalford MLA

In Attendance:

Mr Michael Potter (Assembly Clerk)

Ms Sarah-Anne McKinley (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Ms Alison Belshaw (Clerical Supervisor)

Ms Andrienne Magee (Clerical Officer)

The meeting commenced at 2.01pm in open session.

1. Apologies

As above.

Trevor Lunn MLA delegated his vote to Sinead McLaughlin MLA.

Christopher Stalford was Chairing the Climate Change No 2 Bill in the Assembly chamber and was unable to attend.

2. Chairperson Business

The Chairperson updated the Committee in relation to contact from Rosetta Trust regarding concerns from victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First and deputy First Minister to request what the implications would be regarding the official apology for victims and survivors in the event of the resignation of the First Minister and deputy First Minister before the end of the Assembly mandate.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Executive Office to request that Amnesty International and Professor Patricia Lundy (Ulster University) are included in the consultation in relation to the review of the redress process.

The Chairperson updated the Committee in relation to a meeting she attended with Mike Nesbitt MLA and representatives of Queen’s University Belfast. The meeting was on the subject of the legal and historical context of anatomical study at the University between 1937 and 1960, particularly the acquisition of anatomical subjects for study, which has implications for the mother and baby homes issue.

 Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Queen’s University to ask a number of questions in relation to historical anatomical study processes.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed to request an external audit of the historical practice from Queen’s University in relation to anatomical studies.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a public apology from Queen’s University in relation to these anatomical studies.

The Chairperson updated the Committee in relation to issues surrounding the proposed Meenan Square redevelopment in Derry/ Londonderry.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek clarity on the Meenan Squareredevelopment.

The Chairperson updated the Committee on the itinerary for the House of Commons Procedures Committee visiting Parliament Buildings on Wednesday 23 February 2022 and how they are scheduled to meet the Committee at 10am that day.

Diane Dodds joined the meeting at 2.04pm.

3. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 26th January 2022.

4. Matters Arising

The Chairperson updated the Committee that the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill Call for Views went live on Monday 31 January and will close on 7 March 2022.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools to brief the Committee in relation to the Bill.

5. FICT Commission Joint Chairs: Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition – Oral Briefing 

The FICT Commission Joint Chairs joined the meeting at 2.18pm.

  • Mr Neville Armstrong, Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition (FICT) Commission
  • Professor Dominic Bryan, Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition (FICT) Commission

 

The FICT Commission Joint Chairs briefed the Committee in relation to the final report on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition.

The oral evidence session was followed by a question and answer session.

The Chairperson thanked the FICT Commission Joint Chairs for their attendance.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Executive Office to request that the progress of the FICT Working Group is reported regularly to the Committee.

Diane Dodds left the meeting at 2.41pm.

6. Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme for February 2022.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to invite the Women’s Resource and Development Agency to brief the Committee on the findings from its survey on violence against women and girls.

7. Correspondence

  1. The Committee noted a joint press release from the UK Government and the European Commission in relation to the Protocol on Ireland/ Northern Ireland and EU Relations.
  2. The Committee noted a press release from the UK Government regarding a Citizens' Rights Specialised Committee Meeting.
  3. The Committee noted a statement from the First Minister and deputy First Minister in relation to the launch of a consultation on the Investment Strategy.
  4. The Committee noted correspondence from the Executive Office regarding an update on New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) Commitments.
  5. The Committee noted correspondence from the Executive Office in relation to the Maze Long Kesh - Ulster Aviation Society Lease.
  6. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance to the Secretary of State regarding Unique Circumstances funding.
  7. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in relation to the scrutiny of the Common Frameworks Programme.
  8. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Economy regarding the scrutiny of the Common Frameworks Programme.
  9. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the scrutiny of the Common Frameworks Programme.
  10. The Committee noted correspondence from NI Assembly EU Affairs Manager in relation to the UK Delegation to the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA).
  11. The Committee noted correspondence from the Federation of Small Businesses regarding the Travel Agents (Coronavirus) Financial Assistance Scheme 2021.
  12. The Committee noted correspondence from University College London Constitution Unit in relation to democracy in the UK after Brexit.

8. Any Other Business

None.

9. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

The next Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday 9 February 2022 at 2:00pm, in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 3.23pm.

Sinéad McLaughlin MLA

Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office