COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2001 AT 10.28AM IN
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr S Neeson (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr W Clyde
Ms J Morrice
Mr D McClarty
Dr A McDonnell
Dr D O'Hagan
Mr J Wells
Apologies:
Mr A Attwood
Ms A Courtney
Mr P Doherty MP (Chairperson)
In attendance:
Mrs C White (Committee Clerk)
Mr M Anderson (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mrs J Murdoch (Executive Support)
Miss A Fowler (Committee Assistant)
The meeting opened in public at 10.28am.
Mr Neeson assumed the Chair in the absence of the Chairperson.
1. Minutes of last meeting
Agreed - the minutes of 21 November 2001 as amended.
2. Matters arising
2.1. Trade mission to USA and Canada - the Committee Clerk gave details of the flights and of the revised arrangements in the itinerary.
2.2. Committee of the Centre's European Inquiry.
Agreed - to write to the Committee of the Centre detailing the Committee's concerns regarding the lack of information supplied to the Committee and the Department with respect to EC proposals.
Agreed - to ask the Department for details on European funding.
Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 10.36am.
3. Meeting with representatives of the Canadian Governement
3.1. Dr McDonnell explained that he was meeting with Gordon Morrison, Deputy Director in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canadian Government, later in the day and that Mr Morrison had expressed an interest in meeting the Committee on an informal basis.
Agreed - that the Committee Members would meet with Mr Morrison informally to discuss areas of mutual interest.
4. DTI consultation paper - TUPE Regulations
4.1. The Committee considered the consultation paper forwarded by the Committee for Employment and Learning.
Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 10.45am.
Agreed - to note the consultation paper.
Agreed - to write to the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment seeking clarification about the use of Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) Regulations in relation to appointments to Invest Northern Ireland.
Dr McDonnell rejoined the meeting at 10.47am.
5. Tourist Centre at the Giant's Causeway
5.1. The Committee considered a letter received from the National Trust regarding the sale and development of land at the Giant's Causeway.
Agreed - to write to the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment expressing the Committee's concerns that the development of Northern Ireland's premier tourist attraction is proceeding ahead of the publication of the Giant's Causeway World Heritage Site Management Plan.
The Committee agreed that the meeting should be suspended at 10.57am.
The meeting was resumed at 11.14am.
6. Consultation document from the NI Human Rights Commission on the Bill of Rights
Agreed - to defer this issue to the next meeting of the Committee.
Mr Wells rejoined the meeting at 11.20am.
7. Any other business
7.1. OFREG Consultation Paper - Energy Efficiency Levy - Members were informed that this paper will be dealt with at the next meeting as a response needs to be agreed to meet the closing date.
7.2. Chairpersons' Liaison Group - It was reported that the next meeting of the Chairpersons' Liaison Group would be on 11 December, members were asked to consider if they wished to have any items placed on the agenda for this meeting.
Agreed - to seek clarification if it would be appropriate to have a Committee Member deputise for the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson as they will be in North America at the time of the meeting.
7.3. Christmas Cards - A draft list of persons proposed to receive Christmas cards from the Committee was circulated for consideration.
Agreed - to send Christmas Cards to the persons proposed subject to additions put forward by the Members.
7.4. Industrial Development Bill - The Committee Clerk reported to the Committee that the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment had responded to the Committee's concerns regarding Ministerial appointments to public bodies and had advised that this was a matter for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM). Accordingly, he has forwarded the Committee's letter to the junior Ministers for their consideration.
7.5. Redundancies at NACCO MHG, Craigavon - Dr O'Hagan reported on correspondence she had received from a trade union official from NACCO MHG, a company making redundancies in Craigavon.
Agreed - to offer the trade union representative an opportunity to meet with the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson early in the New Year.
The meeting went into private session at 11.33am.
8. Energy Inquiry
8.1. The Committee deliberated on its draft report on the Energy inquiry.
Mr Clyde joined the meeting at 11.37am.
Ms Morrice joined the meeting at 12.05pm.
Mr McClarty left the meeting at 12.16pm.
Agreed - to write to the Specialist Adviser, the Regulator for Electricity (OFREG) and the Department requesting further details regarding energy issues.
9. Date of next meeting
9.1. The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday 5 December 2001 at 10.00am in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting closed at 12.43pm.