Official Report: Minutes of Evidence

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Last week, we completed the clause-by-clause scrutiny of the Children's Services Co-operation Bill, and the record of our discussions was agreed earlier in the minutes of proceedings. Also last week, we considered an initial draft report on the Committee Stage of the Bill.

Our task today is to undertake the formal consideration of the report in order to complete Committee Stage by the end of this week. The draft report provides a summary of the Committee's deliberations on the Bill and begins at page 60 in your meeting packs. I propose that we consider the report in sections, beginning with the introduction. We will come back to the executive summary when the rest of the report has been finalised. We should also be aware that, after we have agreed the report today, it will be subject to proofing and editing by Committee staff prior to publication. Before we proceed, do members have any comments? There are no comments.

Starting at page 63 of the meeting pack, are members content with the introduction, which deals with the background to the Bill and the Committee's approach, at paragraphs 1 to 7?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): The summary of consideration begins at page 65, starting with introductory text at paragraph 8 and consideration of the evidence received on the statutory duty to cooperate at paragraphs 9 to 16. Are members content with paragraphs 8 to 16?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 17 to 19, on page 67, which deal with the cooperation report?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 20 to 25, at pages 67 to 69, which deal with pooled budgets?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 26 to 32, which deal with children's services planning?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 33 to 36, which deal with the issue of sanction?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 37 to 39, which deal with definitions?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 40 to 41, which deal with statutory guidance?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): OK, members. The amendments proposed by OFMDFM are discussed in paragraphs 42 to 56, at pages 73 to 76. The section begins with an introduction to the Department's proposed amendments, and then summarises each of the new draft clauses in turn. Formal clause-by-clause consideration will be dealt with after that. Members, I propose that we add the following line to paragraph 45:

Are members content?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): That is just housekeeping; nothing strange or startling. Are members content with paragraphs 42 to 56, as amended?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Clause-by-clause consideration begins at page 77 of your packs, with introductory paragraphs at 57 to 59. Are members content with those paragraphs?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 60 to 64 on clause 1, "General duty"?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 65 to 68 on clause 2, "Co-operation report"?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 69 to 71 on clause 3, "Sharing resources and pooling funds"?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 72 to 74 on clause 4, "Amendment of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995"?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 75 to 77 on clause 5, "Interpretation"?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 78 to 79 on clause 6, "Short title"?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with paragraphs 80 to 81 on the long title?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): We now return to the executive summary at page 62. Are members content with the executive summary?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content with the list of appendices at page 80?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content that I clear the relevant extract from today's minutes detailing the Committee's agreement of the report for inclusion in the appendices?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members agreed that this report be the fourteenth report of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to the Assembly?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Are members content to publish the report?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): OK, members. A typescript copy of the report will be laid in the Business Office by close of play tomorrow, and the remaining stages of the Bill will be scheduled by the Business Office, further to summer recess.

Are members content to issue the Bill sponsor and the Department with a typescript copy of the report in advance of its formal publication?

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): Thank you, members.

Mr Attwood: I assume that there has been no further update from OFMDFM officials in respect of where they are with the further clauses.

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): I do not think so. Has there been any update, Clerk?

The Committee Clerk: No, there has not. The officials emailed me after listening in to last week's meeting. For clarity, I had to tidy up the report with that line about clearance being required by the Executive but, no, there is no further progress.

Mr Attwood: The normal pattern is that, from the beginning of July to the first week in September, there are two or three Executive meetings. It may be different this year because of our circumstances. All I am pointing out is that, if it is Steven's intention to table Consideration Stage very early in the next term, there will not be much space for the Executive to receive, consider and pass any amendments. I just think that we need to keep pressure on the officials to deal with that.

The Committee Clerk: Chair, that has been pointed out. The official that I have been corresponding with made the point that the Bill sponsor wanted to move on with the legislation very quickly, so the officials are very conscious of that and are trying their best to push things through.

The Deputy Chairperson (Mr Lyttle): I suppose that is another issue we can raise with the First Minister and the deputy First Minister on 16 September if necessary, although we hope there will be progress in advance of that.