Committee for the Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings - Wednesday 26th January 2022

Committee for the Executive Office - Minutes 26 January 2022.pdf (168.53 kb)

Committee for the Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings

Wednesday 26th January 2022

Meeting Location: Room 30 Parliament Buildings

Present:                   

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)

Mr Trevor Lunn MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:

Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Ms Emma Sheerin MLA

Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA

Mr Pat Sheehan MLA

Ms Diane Dodds MLA

Mr Alex Easton MLA

Apologies: None

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 2.03pm in open session.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Chairperson Business

The Chairperson updated the Committee on the House of Commons Procedures Committee visit to Parliament Buildings on Wednesday 23 February 2022 and their request to meet the Committee to discuss inter-governmental relations.

3. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 19th January 2022.

4. Matters Arising

The Chairperson updated Members on the arrangements for a stakeholder event on the consultation for the Ending Violence against Women and Girls Strategy to take place on the morning of Thursday 24 February 2022.

5. Department Officials Tackling Violence against Women & Girls Strategy– Oral Briefing 

Officials joined the meeting at 2.10pm.

  • Ms Claire Archbold - Director, Ending Violence Against Women & Girls, The Executive Office.
  • MrGeraldine Fee - Deputy Director, Ending Violence Against Women & Girls, The Executive Office.

Officials briefed the Committee in relation to the Tackling Violence against Women & Girls Strategy which is being taken forward by the Executive Office.

Christopher Stalford joined the meeting at 2.20pm

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

The Chairperson thanked officials for their attendance.

6. Bill Sponsor Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill – Oral Briefing

The Bill Sponsor and Party Support joined the meeting at 3.33pm

  • Mr Chris Lyttle, MLA
  • Ms Connie Egan, Party Support Alliance Party

The Bill Sponsor briefed the Committee in relation to the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill.

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

The Chairperson thanked the Bill Sponsor for their attendance.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to publish the press release for the Bill consultation.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to publish the signposting advertisement for the Bill consultation.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to publish the questions for the Bill consultation.

Agreed: The Committee agreed the stakeholder list for invitations for views on the Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite the Equality Commission to brief the Committee on the proposals contained within the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Executive Office for a view on the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for Education for a view on the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Business Committee for early consideration for second stage of the Bill.

Christopher Stalford left at 3.39pm

Pat Sheehan left at 4.00pm

7. Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme for February 2022.

8. Correspondence

  1. The Committee noted a press release from the UK Government in relation to the Protocol on Ireland/ Northern Ireland: An article by Liz Truss.
  2. The Committee noted a joint statement from the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the announcement of a public apology for victims and survivors of Historical Institutional Abuse.
  3. The Committee noted a press release from the Executive Office in relation to the announcement of a public apology for victims and survivors of Historical Institutional Abuse.
  4. The Committee noted a statement from the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding Executive decisions on Covid-19.
  5. The Committee noted a press release from the Executive Office in relation Executive decisions on Covid-19.
  6. The Committee noted correspondence from the Executive Office regarding the implementation of the Truth Recovery Design Panel recommendations.
  7. The Committee noted correspondence from the Executive Office in relation to the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) commitment on the expansion of the Magee Campus.
  8. The Committee noted correspondence from the Executive Office to the Assembly Business Office regarding the roles and responsibilities of the Troubles Permanent Disablement Scheme.
  9. The Committee noted correspondence from the Executive Office in relation to the further easement in the January Monitoring round relating to Historical Institutional Abuse.
  10. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Communities regarding the SL1 Transfer of Functions (Appeals Service) Order (NI) 2021. The Committee noted correspondence from NI Assembly EU Affairs Manager in relation to an update on Common Frameworks.
  11. The Committee noted correspondence from the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council regarding an assessment of the Executive’s Draft Budget 2022-2025.
  12. The Committee noted a press release from the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council in relation to an assessment of the Executive’s Draft Budget 2022-2025.
  13. The Committee noted correspondence from KRW Law to the Chair of the Executive Office Committee regarding survivors of Historical Institutional Abuse.

 

9.    Any Other Business

None.

10. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

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

The meeting was adjourned at 4.15pm.

Sinéad McLaughlin MLA

Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office