Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee

Minutes of Proceedings - 13 March 2025

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Meeting Location: Room 30

Present:

  • Ciara Ferguson MLA (Chairperson)
  • David Brooks MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
  • Steve Aiken MLA
  • Declan Kearney MLA
  • Peter Martin MLA
  • Eóin Tennyson MLA

Present by Video:

  • Joanne Bunting MLA[1]
  • Emma Sheerin MLA

Apologies:

  • Jonathan Buckley MLA
  • Kate Nicholl MLA

In Attendance:

  • Paul Gill (Clerk Assistant)
  • Christopher Dickison (Senior Assistant Clerk)
  • Jessica Jacques (Senior Assistant Clerk)
  • Sinead Kelly (Assistant Clerk)
  • Kevin Marks (Clerical Supervisor)
  • Suzanne Walsh (Clerical Supervisor)
  • Shelley Garner (Clerical Officer)

In Attendance by Video:

  • Leigh Gibson (Senior Assistant Clerk)
  • Victoria Bourquin (Assistant Clerk)
  • Damien Brown (Clerical Officer)

The meeting commenced at 10.01am in public session.

 

1. Apologies

As above.

 

2. Declaration of Members' Interests

None.

 

3. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 20 February 2025.

 

4. Matters Arising

None.

 

5. European Commission Work Programme 2025 - Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) Oral Briefing

The following officials from the Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) joined the meeting at 10.03am:

Glenda Doherty Research Officer, Assembly Research and Information Service

Oran O'Connor Research Officer, Assembly Research and Information Service

The officials briefed the Committee on the European Commission's 2025 Work Programme.

Eóin Tennyson joined the meeting at 10.08am.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

The officials left the meeting at 10.17am.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to share RaISe's briefing paper with the UK Government and all MLAs.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to share RaISe's briefing paper with the Executive Office and to draw attention to the proposals included in the paper which had not been included in the Executive Office's most recent table of current proposed EU legislation relevant to Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to publish RaISe's paper on its webpage.

 

6. COM/2024/561 Proposal for a Directive amending Directive 2014/32/EU as regards electric vehicle supply equipment, compressed gas dispensers, and electricity, gas and thermal energy meters

The Committee considered the proposed replacement EU act: COM/2024/561 Proposal for a Directive amending Directive 2014/32/EU as regards electric vehicle supply equipment, compressed gas dispensers, and electricity, gas and thermal energy meters.

The Committee noted that, as part of its work planning on 20 February 2025, it had requested a departmental assessment of impact on the proposed replacement EU act.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request legal advice on the proposed replacement EU act, and to schedule a session with the legal adviser and a departmental evidence session, to help inform its decision on whether to monitor the proposed replacement EU act.

 

7. COM/2023/462 Proposal for a Regulation on the safety of toys and repealing Directive 2009/48/EC

The Committee considered the proposed EU act:COM/2023/462 Proposal for a Regulation on the safety of toys and repealing Directive 2009/48/EC.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Executive Office in relation to its request for a departmental assessment of impact on the proposal, which stated that departments are unable to provide information on this proposal and indicated that responsibility for product safety in Northern Ireland sits with councils.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to each council to ask for their assessment of whether it appears likely that applying or not applying the proposed EU act would have a significant impact specific to everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland in a way that is liable to persist.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the UK Government to request information on its engagement with local councils in relation to the proposed EU act, and to ask for its assessment of whether it appears likely that applying or not applying the proposed EU act would have a significant impact specific to everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland in a way that is liable to persist.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Consumer Council to ask for its assessment of whether it appears likely that applying or not applying the proposed EU act would have a significant impact specific to everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland in a way that is liable to persist.

 

8. Committee Travel - Proposed Committee visits to Brussels and Westminster

The Senior Assistant Clerk updated Members on the possible travel arrangements for the Committee's visits to Brussels and Westminster.

Agreed: The Committee agreed a list of stakeholders to request meetings with during the Committee's visit to Brussels.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to combine the visits to Westminster and Brussels into a single trip and agreed the draft business case for these combined visits.

 

9. Correspondence

9.1 The Committee noted correspondence from the Secretariat for the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework on behalf of Lord Murphy, requesting to meet with the Committee on Thursday 20 March 2025.

9.2 The Committee considered a UK Government Explanatory Memorandum on a proposed replacement EU act: COM 2024/577 Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2021/2115 and (EU) 2021/2116 as regards the strengthening of the position of farmers in the food supply chain.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to publish the Explanatory Memorandum on its webpage.

9.3 The Committee noted a copy of correspondence from the Chair of the House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee to the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on veterinary medicines and the Windsor Framework.

 

10. Chairperson's Business

The Committee noted a written summary of the meeting held on Tuesday 18 February 2025 between the Chairperson, the Deputy Chairperson, and the Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland.

 

11. Any Other Business

Steve Aiken referred to an evidence session on the Windsor Framework held by the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and proposed that the transcript be included in the next meeting pack.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that when the Committee Secretariat is made aware of relevant additional reading material which relates to a specific agenda item, a link should be included in the relevant paper in the meeting pack.

 

12. Date, Time, and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 27 March 2025 at 10:00am in Room 30.

The meeting was adjourned at 10.44am.

 

Ciara Ferguson, MLA, Chairperson, Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee

 

[1] Jonathan Buckley MLA appointed Joanne Bunting MLA as a substitute Member for this meeting.