Agenda item

The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

The purpose of this report is to provide the Committee with a draft workplan for their consideration. It is proposed that the draft workplan covers the period up to the exit date of 31st October and that it is revisited after this date when it is likely that the situation around EU exit will be clearer.

2.0       Recommendations

Members are asked to agree the workplan as outlined in this report, subject to any additions or amendments Committee may request.

3.0       Main report

Key Issues

Members are reminded that at its meeting in June it requested that a draft workplan be submitted to this meeting for their consideration and that ‘in terms of the impact of Brexit upon Workers/Human Rights and on the environment, agreed that the following be invited to attend a future meeting:

·        Representatives of Trades Unions

·        Representatives of environmental organisations;

·        Dr. Mary Dobbs – Queen’s University;

·        Professor Colin Harvey – Queen’s University; and

·        Dr. Daniel Holder – CAJ.

The Committee also agreed that the Local Government Auditor be invited to attend a future meeting in order to discuss the section within the Local Government Auditors Report 2019 referring to local government preparations for leaving the European Union.

A request has also been made by the Chair to invite a representative from the Department of Economy to update the Committee on the recently published data paper on Northern Ireland’s trade and investment under ‘no deal’ as part of the Northern Ireland Civil Service’s work on EU Exit.

Members are also advised that Officers have met with representatives from the Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels and that their Director, Andrew Elliott has offered to attend the Committee meeting in September to update Members on the programme of work that the Office is currently undertaking. Members are reminded that Andrew and his team were helpful in identifying people to meet and providing contact details during the organisation of the previous visit to Brussels.

Officers have now contacted the various people as outlined above to determine their availability to attend Committee and their responses are outlined in the table below. Subject to Committee agreeing the proposed speakers list, Officers will confirm these dates.

Members are also advised that a request was sent to Party Group Leaders seeking any additional speakers they wished to add to the list and to date none have been received.

In addition to the above speakers it is proposed that in the period up to 31st October, the following reports are brought to Committee for consideration:

As Members will be aware information in relation to EU exit is continually becoming available. If any relevant information is released in the period up to the 31st October reports on this will be brought to Committee. Members may also have specific issues that they would like to request, through Committee, that a report be produced and these can be added to the workplan as required.

Given that there is ongoing uncertainty around the outcome and timings of the exit from the EU, it is proposed that the workplan is revisited after 31st October, when it is likely that the situation around EU exit will be clearer and this is brought to the November Committee meeting for consideration.

Financial and Resource Implications

There are no specific financial or resource implications relating to this report but there may be implications related to specific papers and these will be outlined in the relevant report.

Equality or Good Relations Implications/

Rural Needs Assessment

There are no equality or good relations implications relating to this report.

Appendices

None.”

            The Committee agreed to the Workplan as outlined in the report and that Members could send any further proposals for deputations to Democratic Services to be included for consideration at the next Committee.