I ask all members to ensure their mobile phones are switched off for the duration of the meeting. This is important as, apart from the discourtesy to witnesses, it also causes serious problems for the editorial and broadcasting staff. Editorial and broadcasting staff have asked that they be informed when a meeting will continue in private session until it is adjourned without resuming in public session. This often happens after a presentation has concluded and the committee has private business such as correspondence or travel plans to discuss. This confirmation will ensure the aforementioned staff can leave the meeting and undertake other duties where editing and broadcasting facilities are required rather than having to wait to see if the committee will resume in public session again. I suggest that from now on we will agree to go into private session when our public business is completed for the remainder of each meeting. I will state this clearly when we are going into private session at each meeting and seek the committee's agreement in order that the relevant staff will know they may leave. Is that agreed? Agreed.
The committee will now go into private session. Is that agreed? Agreed.
The joint committee went into private session at 2.40 p.m. and resumed in public session at 3.30 p.m.