The Chairperson (Mr Nesbitt): When we were last briefed by the Department, officials indicated a number of areas for proposed amendments to the Children's Services Co-operation Bill. Those are outlined in Committee members' packs. In a subsequent discussion, we indicated that we were broadly supportive in principle of the direction in which the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister is going with potential amendments but that our support was subject to sight of the text of those proposed amendments.
Last week, we noted correspondence from the Bill's sponsor, Steven Agnew. He also indicated that he was generally supportive in principle of the direction being taken by the Department. However, he advises that he would need to see the final proposals before he could decide whether he believes further amendments are required. A copy of his correspondence is also in your pack. Unfortunately, the text of the draft amendments to be proposed by the Department is not available for us to consider today. We have a very limited timescale in which to report to the Assembly. An update on that is in your pack.
I also suggested last week that this week was decision week, but we could allow one more week to see whether the Department is in a position to provide us with its draft amendments. If they are not available for us next week, we will have to come to a decision on how we wish to proceed. If that is the case, members, I suggest that we need to be prepared next week to discuss in some detail any specific amendments that we may want to bring forward. I suggest that, at that point, we will be going through the Bill, not formally clause by clause but informally clause by clause, and asking you to identify the clauses for which you would like to send instructions for draft amendments. The impression that I am getting is that the Department is working flat out to bring forward the amendments. There is no sense that it is trying to restrict access to the Committee. It is just proving difficult for a number of factors. That said, next week will be a hard deadline, so, please, if you want Committee amendments tabled, tell us broadly what they are so that we can instruct the Bill Office. Are members content?
The Chairperson (Mr Nesbitt): Finally, on that issue, members, we considered correspondence from Kinship Care last week. It wanted an opportunity to present to the Committee. Bronwyn advised that the Committee for Employment and Learning had received a briefing from Kinship Care last week, and the Committee Clerk was asked to review the transcript to determine any issues of relevance to this Committee's remit. The Clerk's note is in the tabled papers. Do members have any comment? No? The basic conclusion is that it does not fall within our remit.