Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting began at 10.48am

Present:

The Speaker
Mr D Brooks
Mrs S Ennis
Miss N McAllister
Mr C McGrath
Mr P McGuigan
Mr J Stewart

In attendance:

Dr A McGarel Clerk of Business
Mr P Gill Clerk Assistant
Ms R Ellis Legal Adviser
Dr G McGrath Director of Parliamentary Services
Mr R Ramsey Adviser to the Speaker
Mr P Stitt PS to the Speaker
Ms P Devlin Assistant Assembly Clerk
Mr M O'Hare Clerical Supervisor

1.1 The Speaker welcomed Members to the meeting.

2 Apologies

2.1 Apologies were received from Tom Elliott.

3 Membership of Statutory Committees

3.1 The Speaker advised Members of the duty placed on him by Standing Orders to ensure that all non-Ministerial members are offered a place on a statutory committee.

3.2 The Speaker advised that a report setting out proposed statutory committee membership was included in Members’ papers.

3.3 The Clerk Assistant spoke to the paper, responded to Members’ questions and drew Members’ attention to correspondence from Mr Allister. He advised that there was still a vacancy on the Committee for the Executive Office as Mr Allister had not accepted it, but that the motion could proceed despite this.

3.4 The Clerk Assistant highlighted that Standing Orders prohibit a Member from membership of the Justice Committee if the Member is on the Policing Board, is a member of a policing and community safety partnership, or is a member of a district policing and community safety partnership.

3.5 The Committee agreed the Membership of Statutory Committees as detailed in the Northern Ireland Assembly Report 3/22-27.

3.6 The Committee agreed that the Northern Ireland Assembly Report 3/22-27, Membership of Statutory Committees, should be laid in the Assembly Business Office and distributed to Members through the usual channels.

4 Membership of Standing Committees

4.1 The Speaker advised that a report setting out proposed standing committee membership was included in Members’ papers.

4.2 The Clerk Assistant spoke to the paper.

4.3 A Member asked if there is a requirement for five Members on the Audit Committee, and was informed that there should be five but with a quorum of two, it could function pending the vacancy being filled.

4.4 The Committee agreed the Membership of Standing Committees as detailed in the Northern Ireland Assembly Report 4/22-27.

4.5 The Committee agreed that the Northern Ireland Assembly Report 4/22-27, Membership of Standing Committees, should be laid in the Assembly Business Office and distributed to Members through the usual channels.

5 Any Other Business

5.1 There was no other business.

6 Date and Time of Next Meeting

6.1 The Speaker advised that the next meeting would take place at 1pm on Tuesday 13 February in room 106.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 10.55am.