Official Report: Minutes of Evidence

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Members, we have gone through each paragraph of the report. We are now down to going through the recommendations.

Are members content with the section entitled "Powers and Membership"?

Mr Lyttle: Chair, may I just ask a quick procedural question? Why was there a need to not provide the report in advance of today's meeting?

The Committee Clerk: On previous occasions, the reports were leaked prior to members being given the opportunity to see them.

Mr Lyttle: To the press and stuff like that?

The Committee Clerk: Yes.

Mr Lyttle: That is unfortunate.

The Committee Clerk: The Committee took the decision at that stage that reports would be tabled only at the meeting and then collected until such times as all members had the opportunity to see them.

Mr Lyttle: It is a shame that you have to operate in those confines. However, given previous experience, I can understand why people have been led in that way.

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): You only have to look back a number of weeks ago, when we were given information that we should not have been sharing and it managed to make its way to the press.

Are members content with paragraphs 1 to 5?

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraph 6 as amended?

The Committee Clerk: The amendment was to correct a spelling mistake from "major" to "mayor".

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraphs 7 to 39?

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraph 40 as amended?

The Committee Clerk: The amendment was to change the word "straitened" to "restrained".

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraphs 41 to 45?

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraph 46 as amended?

The Committee Clerk: The amendment was to correct a spelling mistake from "stancd" to "stand".

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraphs 47 to 59?

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraph 60 as amended?

The Committee Clerk: The amendment was to correct a typing error from "19998" to "1998".

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraphs 61 to 74?

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraph 75 as amended?

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content with paragraphs 76 to 93?

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content that the extract of today's minutes be included in the report?

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content that the report and associated minutes of proceedings and appendices are ordered to print?

The Chairperson (Mr Clarke): Are members content to forward a manuscript copy of the report to the Minister?