COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 9 JANUARY 2002 AT 10.25AM IN
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr P Doherty MP (Chairperson)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr W Clyde
Mr D McClarty
Dr A McDonnell
Ms J Morrice
Dr D O'Hagan
Mr J Wells
Apologies: Mr S Neeson (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr A Attwood
Mrs A Courtney
In attendance: Mrs C White (Committee Clerk)
Mr M Anderson (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr R Anderson (Clerical Supervisor)
Miss A Fowler (Clerical Officer)
Mr P Gilleece (Assembly Researcher)
In attendance for the private evidence session at 10.50am: Ms J Whiteside, Ms J Stevenson (General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (GCCNI)) and Miss F Huston and Ms A McMinnis (Northern Ireland Consumer Committee for Electricity (NICCE)).
The meeting opened in private at 10.25am.
1. Minutes of the Last Meetings
1.1 Agreed - the minutes of 18 December 2001 and 8 January 2002.
Mr Armstrong joined the meeting at 10.32am.
Ms Morrice left the meeting at 10.34am.
2. Matters Arising
2.1 Lunch with Chief Executive and Chairman of Invest Northern Ireland - it was reported that the working lunch has been rescheduled for Wednesday 30 January at 1pm in the Private Dining Room, Parliament Buildings.
3. Energy Efficiency Levy
3.1 Representatives of the GCCNI and NICCE briefed the Committee on their concerns regarding the proposed increase to the Energy Efficiency Levy. This was followed by a question and answer session.
4. OFREG Consultation Paper - Transmission and Distribution Price Control
4.1 The Committee discussed the consultation paper received from the Office of the Regulator for Electricity and Gas (OFREG) and considered a paper presented to the Committee by Assembly Research.
Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 11.53am.
The meeting went into public session at 12 noon.
Agreed - to invite both Northern Ireland Electricity and OFREG to give presentations on this issue.
The Committee agreed a short recess to allow Members to conduct other Assembly business at 12.05pm.
Dr O'Hagan left the meeting at 12.05pm.
Dr McDonnell rejoined the meeting at 12.23pm.
The meeting resumed at 12.23pm.
Dr O'Hagan rejoined the meeting at 12.25pm
5. DETI Consultation Paper - Limited Liability Partnership
5.1 Agreed - to note the consultation paper.
6. Waste Management
6.1 The Committee considered a request from BIFFA Waste Services Ltd to meet with the Committee to discuss concerns regarding waste management policy and delays in deciding on planning permission for landfill facilities.
Agreed - to refer the letter to the Committee for the Environment for their consideration and to request a copy of any conclusions they reach.
7. Giant's Causeway
7.1 The Committee considered a request from Seaport Investments Ltd. Seeking an opportunity to brief the Committee on their proposals for the development of the land adjacent to the Giant's Causeway site.
Agreed - to invite Seaport Investments to submit written evidence to the Tourism inquiry.
Ms Morrice rejoined the meeting at 12.32pm.
8. DETI Corporate Plan
8.1 The Committee Clerk explained to Members that the Department had asked the Committee for initial comments on the draft Corporate Plan and invited Members to forward comments to her by 23 January.
9. Publishing Committee's Responses to Consultation Documents and Minutes of Evidence on the Assembly's Website
9.1 Agreed - that the Committee's responses to consultation documents should be published on the Assembly's website subject to approval on a case by case basis.
9.2 Agreed - that Minutes of Evidence relating to inquiries will be published on the Website as they are finalised and in final form.
10. Energy Inquiry
10.1 The Committee carried out the first reading of its draft report.
Mr McClarty left the meeting at 1.08pm.
Agreed - that the draft report, as amended, should be read a second time on Tuesday 15 January 2002.
11. Date of next meeting
11.1 The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Tuesday 15 January 2002 at 10.30am in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting closed at 1.25pm.
Mr Pat Doherty MP
Chairperson