COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
Minutes of Proceedings
WEDNESDAY, 16 January 2008
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Roy Beggs MLA
Simon Hamilton MLA
Fra McCann MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Peter Weir MLA
In Attendance:
Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Colin Jones (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Paula Sandford (Clerical Supervisor)
Mary Thompson (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Dawn Purvis MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.02 am in open session.
-
Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
-
Draft Minutes of Proceedings 9 January 2008
Agreed as amended: for publication on the Assembly website.
-
Matters Arising
Members noted that responses from the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) on the further work to be undertaken following publication of the Varney Report and on the further information requested by the Committee in relation to the Workplace 2010 legal settlement will be received by Friday 18 January 2008 and considered at next week’s meeting. Members noted an update from the Minister on Workplace 2010.
Members noted that the Consumer Council had secured a meeting with DFP officials to outline its views on the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill and will follow up any outstanding issues with the Committee following the meeting.
Members considered DFP’s request to hold the briefing on the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) evaluation report on Clare House in closed session, as the report is embargoed until its release to staff on 29 February.
Agreed: that the briefing will be held in closed session and that the Committee will write to DFP, expressing its concern at the delay in placing the report in the public domain, given that it contains important lessons for the future implementation of the Workplace 2010 project.
In light of the embargo on the report until 29 February, the Committee considered whether to proceed with its planned visit to Clare House on 30 January.
Agreed: that the visit will proceed on 30 January as planned and that a draft itinerary will be considered at the next meeting.
Agreed: that secretariat staff will organise transport to and from Clare House.
Members noted the outstanding requests for information from DFP and the response from the Registrar General to a Committee query following last week’s briefing.
-
DFP Input to Revised Programme for Government (PfG)
The Committee was briefed by Jim O’Hagan, Finance Director and Deborah McNeilly, Assistant Finance Director, DFP on the Department’s input to the revised PfG.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 10.25am.
Agreed: that additional queries will be forwarded to DFP for a written response.
-
DFP Draft Budget Allocation, Efficiency Plan and Investment Delivery Plan
The Committee was briefed by Jim O’Hagan, Finance Director and Deborah McNeilly, Assistant Finance Director, DFP on the Department’s allocation from the Draft Budget and its efficiency and investment delivery plans.
Mr O’Loan joined the meeting at 10.55am.
Agreed: that additional queries will be forwarded to DFP for a written response.
Mr Storey left the meeting at 11.30am.
-
Programme of Civil Law Reform
Members were briefed by Brian Doherty, Director, Civil Law Reform Division, DFP and Laura McPolin, Assistant Director, Civil Law Reform Division, DFP.
The meeting continued in closed session at 11.50am.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 11.50am.
-
NISRA Briefing on Clare House Evaluation Report
The Committee was briefed on NISRA’s Clare House evaluation report by Dr John Mallon and Dr Joan Ritchie, HR Consultancy, NISRA.
The meeting continued in open session at 12.30pm.
Agreed: that the Committee will contact the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) requesting a written submission on Workplace 2010, including the Clare House pilot, for consideration prior to the Committee’s visit to Clare House and inviting NIPSA to brief the Committee once the evaluation report is made public.
-
Correspondence
Members noted the following correspondence:
- Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development Inquiry into Renewable Energy/Alternative Land Use;
Agreed: that the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development’s request will be forwarded to DFP and that the Committee for Finance and Personnel will then consider any response made by DFP;
- Email from Michael Coleman re: Underspend;
- Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (COFMDFM) – Consideration of SL1 – Transfer of Functions Order;
Agreed: that correspondence will be forwarded to COFMDFM indicating that the Committee is content with the proposals contained in the SL1;
- COFMDFM – Response from Advisory Council on Infrastructure Investment;
- Construction Employers Federation – Response to Draft Budget, Draft PfG and Draft Investment Strategy;
- DFP update on the public consultation relating to the Draft Budget;
- Royal College of Psychiatrists – Building a Better Future 2008/2011 Mental Health and Learning Disability;
- Further correspondence from Portstewart Vision;
- Economic Research Institute for Northern Ireland response to Draft Budget 2008 – 2011;
- MENCAP – response to Draft PfG and Draft Budget 2008 – 2011;
- DFP response to Committee for the Environment’s request for a briefing from DFP officials;
Agreed: that the response will be forwarded to the Committee for the Environment.
- Kedco Energy – Renewable energy sources in new homes;
Agreed: draft response for issue.
- DFP – Public Income and Expenditure for year-ended 31 March 2007;
- Committee for Social Development – Committee Stage of Charities Bill;
Agreed: that the Committee for Social Development’s request will be forwarded to DFP and that the Committee for Finance and Personnel will then consider any response made by DFP;
- Sustainable Energy Building Forum – mandatory micro-generation;
Agreed: draft response for issue.
- DFP – response to further Committee queries on DFP’s submission to the December Monitoring Round.
-
Committee Work Programme
Members considered the updated Committee work programme until Easter recess.
Agreed: that representatives from the Review Panel on public sector jobs location will be invited to brief the Committee on 30 January 2008.
Agreed: that Assembly Research will provide a paper on the review of public sector jobs location and brief the Committee on 30 January 2008.
Agreed: that DFP officials will be asked to attend next week’s meeting to respond to members’ questions on the outcome of the December Monitoring Round.
Agreed: that the revised work programme will be published on the Assembly website.
-
Any Other Business
Members noted recent press articles relating to DFP policy areas and an associated background paper from DFP on micro-generation.
-
Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 23 January 2008 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.50 pm.