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House of Commons
Session 2004 - 05
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Minutes of Proceedings


 

Wednesday 8 December 2004

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Adrian Bailey
Mr Harry Barnes
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Eddie McGrady
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Mark Tami
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Ordered, That Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, Professor Mari Fitzduff and Professor Paul Arthur be appointed as Specialist Advisers, to assist the Committee in its inquiry into Reconciliation: Ways of Dealing with Northern Ireland's past.—(The Chairman.)

Resolved, That the Sub-Committee do visit Dublin from 23 to 24 January 2005 in connection with its inquiry into Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland.—(The Chairman.)

Draft Report (Electoral Registration in Northern Ireland)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the First Report from the Committee, HC 131 (2004-05) p. 32).

Mr Eddie McGrady declared an interest in relation to the inquiry into the Functions of the Northern Ireland Policing Board as a Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

The Functions of the Northern Ireland Policing Board: Professor Desmond Rea, Chairman, Mr Denis Bradley, Vice Chairman and Mr Trevor Reaney, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Policing Board , were examined.

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton, Police Service of Northern Ireland, was examined.

Mr Ken Williams, Inspector and Mr David Kendall, Inspection Team Leader, HM Inspector of Constabulary North of England and Northern Ireland, were examined.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 15 December at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 15 December 2004

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Adrian Bailey
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Mark Tami
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Report (The Parades Commission and Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Second Report from the Committee, HC 172 (2004-05) p. 38).

Draft Report (Northern Ireland Departments 2002-03 Resource Accounts)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Third Report from the Committee, HC 173 (2004-05) p. 14).

Briefing on 'Reconciliation: ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past' received from, Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, Professor Mari Fitzduff and Professor Paul Arthur, specialist advisors.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 12 January at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 12 January 2005

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Adrian Bailey
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Hugo Swire
Mr Mark Tami
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Special Report (Government Response to the Sixth Report of the Committee, Session 2003-04, on Social Housing Provision in Northern Ireland), proposed by the Chairman, brought up, read the first time and second time and agreed to.

Resolved, That the Report be the First Special Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chairman do make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the Government's response to the Committee's Sixth Report of Session 2003-04 be appended to the Report. —(The Chairman.)

The Committee noted that the work programme of the committee and Sub-committee was full until Easter at least.

Briefing on 'Reconciliation: ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past' received from, Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, Professor Mari Fitzduff and Professor Paul Arthur, specialist advisors; and Brandon Hamber, and Priscilla Hayner.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 19 January at Five o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 19 January 2005

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Adrian Bailey
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Eddie McGrady
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Hugo Swire
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Report (The work of the Committee in 2004)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Fourth Report from the Committee, HC 262 (2004-05) p. 23).

The Committee agreed that examination of victims and victims groups should comprise the first stage of its inquiry 'Reconciliation: ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past'.

Mr Eddie McGrady declared an interest in relation to the inquiry into the Functions of the Northern Ireland Policing Board as a Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

The functions of the Northern Ireland Policing Board: Ian Pearson, a Member of the House, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Mr Ken Lindsay, Head of Policy Reforms Division, and Ms Gillian Ardis, Head of Policing Board Oversight Branch, Northern Ireland Office, were examined.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 26 January at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 26 January 2005

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Hugo Swire
Mr Mark Tami
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

The oral evidence session on Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past was cancelled as a result of a fire alarm in Portcullis House and a series of divisions in the House.

Resolved, That the Committee do visit Belfast in connection with its inquiry into Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past. —(The Chairman.)

The Committee agreed to reschedule the afternoons oral evidence to take place in Belfast.

Resolved, That the Committee do meet at 2.50 pm on Wednesday 23 February to hear a private briefing from the Justice Oversight Commissioner, Lord Clyde, prior to its scheduled meeting at 3.30 pm. —(The Chairman.)

[Adjourned till Wednesday 2 February at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 2 February 2005

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Stephen Hepburn
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Mark Tami
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Resolved, That the Committee do visit Belfast on 28 February 2005 in connection with its inquiry into Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past.—(The Chairman.)

Resolved, That the Sub-Committee do visit Belfast on 1 March 2005 in connection with its inquiry into Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland. —(The Chairman.)

Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past: Mr Tom Roberts, Director and Mr William Smith, Development Worker, Ex-Prisoners Interpretative Centre, were examined.

Ms Jo Dover, Legacy Project Manager, The Tim Parry and Johnathan Ball Trust, was examined.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 9 February at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 9 February 2005

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Stephen Hepburn
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Report (The Functions of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Fifth Report from the Committee, HC 108 (2004-05) p. 29).

Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past: Ms Avila Kilmurray, Director, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, and Dr Duncan Morrow, Chief Executive Officer, Community Relations Council for Northern Ireland, were examined.

Mr Mark Thompson, Director, Ms Claire Reilly, Chairperson, and Mr John Loughran, Relatives for Justice, Mr Tom Holland, Founder, Ardoyne Commemoration Project, Mr Mike Ritchie, Director, Coiste n-Iarchimi, and Ms Bernice Swift, Project Manager, Firinne, were examined.

[Adjourned till Monday 21 February at half past Two o'clock.

_______________

Monday 21 February 2005

[The Committee met at the Europa Hotel, Belfast]

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Mark Tami

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Report (Waste Management Strategy for Northern Ireland)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Sixth Report from the Committee, HC 349 (2004-05) p.36).

Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past: Ms Janet Hunter, was examined.

Ms Sandra Peake, Executive Director, WAVE Trauma Centre, and a panel of victims, were examined.

Mr Paul O'Conner, Director, Ms Stephanie English and Mr Alan Brecknell, Pat Finucane Centre, were examined.

Mr John Clarke, Head of Victims Unit, Mr Edward Godfrey, Deputy Head of Victims Unit, and Ms Joy Peden, Head of the Disability and Mental Health Branch, Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, were examined.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 22 February at a quarter past Ten o'clock.

_______________

Tuesday 22 February 2005

[The Committee met at the Europa Hotel, Belfast]

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Stephen Pound
Mr Mark Tami

The Committee deliberated.

Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past: Mrs Celia Gourley OBE, Mrs Barbara Deane OBE, and Mrs Maureen Mitchell, were examined.

Mrs Marion Weir, Rural Community Network, The Tullyvallen Community Association, and Mrs Esther Andrews, Friends of Inver Women's Group, were examined.

Mrs Marie Terese O'Hagan and a panel of victims were examined.

Mr Trevor Ringland, Chairman, and Dr Chris Gibson OBE, One Small Step Campaign, were examined.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 23 February at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 23 February 2005

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Stephen Hepburn
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Hugo Swire
Mr Mark Tami

The Committee deliberated.

Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past: Mrs Ann Boal, Disabled Police Officers' Association Northern Ireland, Reverend Andrew Rawding, Northern Ireland Veterans' Association, Mrs Gillian Grigg, Public Relations Officer and Mrs Rosalind Dillon-Lee, War Widows' Association of Great Britain, and Commodore Toby Elliot, Combat Stress, were examined.

[Adjourned till Monday 28 February at Eleven o'clock.

_______________

Monday 28 February 2005

[The Committee met in the Board Room, Church House, Belfast]

[Morning Sitting]

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Tony Clarke
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past: Professor Brice Dickson, Chief Commissioner, and Dr Nazia Latif, Investigations Worker, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and Professor Tom Hadden and Ms Louise Mallinder, Researcher, Queen's University Belfast, Human Rights Centre, were examined.

[Adjourned till Monday 28 February at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Monday 28 February 2005

[The Committee met in the Board Room, Church House, Belfast]

[Afternoon Sitting]

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past: Mr Michael Gallagher, Chairman, and Mr William Jameson, Treasurer, Omagh Support and Self Help Group, Mr William Frazer, Director, and Mr William Wilkinson, Families Acting for Innocent Relatives, were examined.

Mr Michael Potter, Policy and Research Officer, Training for Women Network, Professor Roy McClelland, Chairman, and Mr Oliver Wilkinson, Honorary Secretary, Healing Through Remembering Project, Mr Robin Wilson, Democratic Dialogue, and Mr Brandon Hamber, were examined.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 2 March at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 2 March 2005

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Hugo Swire
Mr Mark Tami
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Report (The Functions of the Northern Ireland Policing Board)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Seventh Report from the Committee, HC 108 (2004-05) p.27).

Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past: Mr Colin Parry was examined.

Dr Marie Smyth was examined.

Mr Andrew Robinson, Project Manager, The Haven Project, was examined

[Adjourned till Wednesday 9 March at Ten to Five o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 9 March 2005

Members present:

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Iain Luke
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Mark Tami
Mr Bill Tynan

In the absence of the Chairman, Rev. Martin Smyth was called to the Chair.

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Special Report (Responses from the Government, the Electoral Commission and the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland to the First Report of the Committee, Session 2004-05, on Electoral Registration in Northern Ireland), proposed by the Chairman, brought up, read the first time and second time and agreed to.

Resolved, That the Report be the Second Special Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chairman do make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the responses to the Committee's First Report of Session 2004-05 be appended to the Report. —(The Chairman.)

Reconciliation: Ways of dealing with Northern Ireland's past: Rt Hon. Paul Murphy, a Member of the House, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Angela Smith, a Member of the House, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Mr Mark Sweeney, Head of Rights and International Relations Divisions, Northern Ireland Office, and Mr John Clarke, Head of Victims Unit, Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, were examined

[Adjourned till Wednesday 6 April at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 6 April 2005

Members present:

Mr Michael Mates, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Tony Clarke
Mr Stephen Hepburn
Mr Hugo Swire
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Mark Tami
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Report (Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Eighth Report from the Committee, HC 53 (2004-05) p.31).

Draft Report (The Challenge of Diversity: Hate Crime in Northern Ireland)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Ninth Report from the Committee, HC 548 (2004-05) p.72).

Draft Report (Ways of Dealing with Northern Ireland's Past: Interim Report – Victims and Survivors)

(The Minutes of Proceedings relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Tenth Report from the Committee, HC 303 (2004-05) p.35).

Draft Special Report (Government Response to the Third Report of the Committee, Session 2004-05, on Northern Ireland Departments' 2002-03 Resource Accounts), proposed by the Chairman, brought up, read the first time and second time and agreed to.

Resolved, That the Report be the Third Special Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chairman do make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the Government's response to the Committee's Third Report of Session 2004-05 be appended to the Report. —(The Chairman.)

Draft Special Report (Government Response to the Sixth Report of the Committee, Session 2004-05, on Waste Management Strategy in Northern Ireland), proposed by the Chairman, brought up, read the first time and second time and agreed to.

Resolved, That the Report be the Fourth Special Report of the Committee to the House.

Ordered, That the Chairman do make the Report to the House.

Ordered, That the Government's response to the Committee's Sixth Report of Session 2004-05 be appended to the Report. —(The Chairman.)

[Adjourned till a date and time to be arranged by the Chairman.

Proceedings of the Sub-Committee

Monday 29 November 2004

[The Committee met at the Conference Suite, Belfast City Airport]

[Morning Sitting]

Members present:

Mr Tony Clarke, in the Chair

Mr Adrian Bailey
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Stephen Hepburn
Mr Eddie McGrady
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Mark Tami

The Committee deliberated.

Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland: Mr Herbert L. McCracken and Mr Robert Barnett, Committee Members, Cultra Residents' Association and Mr David Babington, Secretary, and Mr Roger Watts, Committee Member, Kinnegar Residents' Action Group, were examined.

[Adjourned till Monday 29 November at a twenty past Three o'clock.

_______________

Monday 29 November 2004

[The Committee met at the Aranmore Room, Fitzwilliam International Hotel, Belfast]

[Afternoon Sitting]

Members present:

Mr Tony Clarke, in the Chair

Mr Adrian Bailey
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Stephen Hepburn
Mr Stephen Pound
Mr Mark Tami

The Committee deliberated.

Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland: Mr Alan Walker, Head of Consumer Affairs and Mr Eddie Lynch, Senior Consumer Affairs Officer, General Consumer Council, were examined.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 30 November at a Ten o'clock.

_______________

Tuesday 30 November 2004

[The Committee met at the Board Room, City of Derry Airport]

Members present:

Mr Tony Clarke, in the Chair

Mr Adrian Bailey
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Stephen Hepburn
Mr Stephen Pound
Mr Mark Tami

The Committee deliberated.

Mr Gregory Campbell declared an interest as a Member of Derry City Council and a former Member of the Derry City Council City Airport Committee.

Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland: Mr Richard Sterling, President, and Mr Garvan O'Doherty, Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, were examined.

Mr Kieran O'Brien and Mr George Johnston, Stop Eglinton Airport Evictions Group, were examined.

Mr John Devine, Airport Manager and Councillor John Kerr, City of Derry Council, were examined.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 15 December at half past Four o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 15 December 2004

Members present:

Mr Tony Clarke, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Mark Tami

The Committee deliberated.

Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland: Mr Mike Rutter, Sales and Marketing Director, and Ms Sara Randall-Johnson, Head of Public Relations, FlyBE., were examined.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 12 January at half past Four o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 12 January 2005

Members present:

Mr Tony Clarke, in the Chair

Mr Adrian Bailey
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Iain Luke
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth

The Committee deliberated.

Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland: Ms Doreen Brown, Director of Regional Planning and Transportation, and Mr Brian White, Ports and Public Transport Division, Department for Regional Development, Mr Robin McMinnis, Head of Tourism and Agency Liaison, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and Mr Harry Baird, Planning Service Division, Department of the Environment, were examined.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 19 January at half past Three o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 19 January 2005

Members present:

Mr Tony Clarke, in the Chair

Mr Adrian Bailey
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Eddie McGrady
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Hugo Swire
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland: Mr Brian Ambrose, Chief Executive, Mr Alan Young, Manager Air Traffic Services, Mr Brian Carling, Business Development Manager, and Dr Chris Lundy, Environment Manager, Belfast City Airport, were examined.

Ms Barbara Anderson, Chair Transport Committee, and Mr Denis Galway, Director Larne Harbour, Confederation of British Industry Northern Ireland, were examined.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 26 January at Five o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 26 January 2005

Members present:

Mr Tony Clarke, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Michael Mates
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Hugo Swire
Mr Mark Tami
Mr Bill Tynan

The Committee deliberated.

The oral evidence session on Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland had to be cancelled as a result of a fire alarm in Portcullis House and a series of divisions in the House.

The Committee agreed to reschedule the afternoons oral evidence.

[Adjourned till Wednesday 23 February at Five o'clock.

_______________

Wednesday 23 February 2005

Members present:

Mr Tony Clarke, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Stephen Hepburn
Mr Stephen Pound
Rev. Martin Smyth
Mr Hugo Swire
Mr Mark Tami

The Committee deliberated.

Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland: Mr David McMillan, Director General and Mr Chris Cain, Head of Regional Airports Policy, Department of Transport, were examined.

[Adjourned till Tuesday 1 March at half past Nine o'clock.

_______________

Tuesday 1 March 2005

[The Committee met in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Building, Stormont, Belfast]

Members present:

Mr Tony Clarke, in the Chair

Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Mark Tami

The Committee deliberated.

Air Transport Services in Northern Ireland: Mr Albert Harrision, Managing Director and Mr Uel Hoey, Business Development Manager, Belfast International Airport, were examined.

Rt Hon John Spellar, a Member of the House, Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, was further examined, Ms Doreen Brown, Deputy Secretary, Department for Regional Development, Mr Robin McMinnis, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and Mr Harry Baird, Planning Service, Department of the Environment, were examined.

[Adjourned till a date to be announced by the Chairman.

 
 
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Prepared: 6 June 2005