Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee
Minutes of Proceedings 12 September 2024
Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee inutes of proceedings 12 September 2024.pdf (153.73 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 30
Present:
Philip McGuigan MLA (Chairperson)
David Brooks MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Joanne Bunting MLA
Kate Nicholl MLA
Emma Sheerin MLA
Eóin Tennyson MLA
Present by Video:
Steve Aiken MLA
Stephen Dunne MLA
Declan Kearney MLA
Apologies:
None.
In Attendance:
Marie Austin (Assembly Clerk)
Christopher Dickison (Senior Assistant Clerk)
Jessica Jacques (Senior Assistant Clerk)
Sinead Kelly (Senior Assistant Clerk)
Oliver Bellew (Assistant Clerk)
Victoria Bourquin (Assistant Clerk)
Marion Johnson (Assistant Clerk)
Shelley Garner (Clerical Officer)
Suzanne Walsh (Clerical Officer)
In Attendance by Video:
Leigh Gibson (Senior Assistant Clerk)
The meeting commenced at 10.00am in public session.
The Chairperson welcomed Kate Nicholl MLA to the Committee and thanked Connie Egan MLA for her past contributions.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Declaration of Members’ Interest
No interests were declared.
3. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 15 August 2024.
4. Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
5. Committee Work Planning
Emma Sheerin joined the meeting at 10.03am.
The Committee considered the most recent update provided by the Executive Office on proposed new and replacement EU acts which had started their legislative passage before the Committee was established.
The Chairperson informed Members that the secretariat had conducted a prioritisation exercise to identify those acts for which the Committee may wish to start gathering evidence. The exercise involved examining the most recent update provided by the Executive Office; examining the Explanatory Memorandums submitted to the Westminster scrutiny committees; and, considering information provided by RaISe.
Joanne Bunting joined the meeting at 10.06am.
The Clerk briefed the Committee on the outcome of the prioritisation exercise.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to commission departmental assessments of impact and legal advice on the following proposed acts:
a) Classification, labelling and packaging of substances - COM(2022) 748; and
b) Packaging and packaging waste - COM(2022) 677.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request updates from the Cabinet Office on the following acts:
a) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism - Regulation (EU) 2023/956; and
b) Deforestation Regulation - Regulation (EU) 2023/1115.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to commission departmental assessments of impact on the following proposed acts:
a) Single Market Emergency Instrument (Regulation) - COM(2022) 461;
b) Single Market Emergency Instrument (Directive) - COM(2022) 462;
c) Digital labelling of fertilising products - COM(2023) 98; and
d) Plant health controls – reporting obligations - COM(2023) 661.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to conduct a similar prioritisation exercise in early 2025.
6. Committee Travel – Proposed Committee Visit to Brussels
The Chairperson reminded Members of the Committee’s decision at its meeting on 20 June 2024, to provisionally schedule a visit to Brussels, as part of its induction programme, in the week commencing Monday 4 November 2024.
The Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk briefed the Committee on the travel options for the visit.
Agreed: The Committee considered and agreed its preferred travel arrangements.
The Chairperson requested that Members indicate to the secretariat whether they are available to participate in the visit so that travel arrangements can be made.
David Brooks MLA joined the meeting at 10.17am.
7. Correspondence
There was no correspondence for consideration.
8. Chairperson’s Business
8.1 The Committee considered a draft letter from the Chairperson to the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, seeking assurance that recent changes to the system of EU document scrutiny at Westminster will not affect the dedicated information sharing arrangements that were put in place for the Committee at the time of its establishment.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the correspondence should issue.
8.2 The Committee noted that Effective Questioning sessions are available for Committees on Thursday 17 October 2024.
9. Any Other Business
None.
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 26 September 2024 at 10:00am in Room 30.
The meeting was adjourned at 10.20am.
David Brooks, MLA
Deputy Chairperson,
Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee
