COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 23 JANUARY 2008
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Roy Beggs MLA
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Simon Hamilton MLA
Fra McCann MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Dawn Purvis 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: Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
The meeting commenced at 10.00 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings 16 January 2008
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
3. Matters Arising
Members noted the following:
- outstanding requests for information from Department for Finance and Personnel (DFP);
- Legal settlement of Workplace 2010;
Agreed: that the Committee will take up the DFP offer to brief members on the implications for the Department from the legal settlement of Workplace 2010. At DFP’s request this will be on a confidential basis and in closed session at next week’s meeting in Clare House.
- DFP response to the Committee’s request for further clarification on NICS Head Count Reduction Figures;
Mr Weir joined the meeting at 10.02 am.
- DFP briefing on further work by Sir David Varney and related issues;
Agreed: that further information will be requested from DFP on the timescale for the scoping paper from Her Majesty’s Treasury to be provided to the Committee. Following receipt of this paper the Committee would expect a full response to the issues which it had raised.
- Draft itinerary for visit to Clare House.
Agreed: itinerary for Clare House visit.
The following members indicated that they will be attending Clare House on 30 January 2008:
Mr Storey
Mr Beggs
Mr Hamilton
Mr McCann
Ms McCann
Mr O’Loan
Ms Purvis
Mr Weir
The meeting continued in closed session at 10.03am.
4. Executive’s Data Protection Review
The Committee received a briefing from Bill McCluggage, Chief Information Officer, Northern Ireland Civil Service and Colin Cluney, Deputy Director (Acting), E-Government Policy on the Executive’s Data Protection Review.
Mr McQuillan joined the meeting at 10.31 am.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 10.40 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 10.44 am.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 11.02 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 11.07 am.
Ms McCann left the meeting at 11.40 am.
Ms McCann returned to the meeting at 11.43 am.
The meeting continued in open session at 10.45 am.
5. Strategic Issues for Budget 2008-2011
The Committee received a briefing from Richard Pengelly, Budget Director (Acting), Michael Daly, Head of Central Expenditure Division, and Paul Montgomery, Central Expenditure Division, DFP on the strategic issues for Budget 2008-2011.
Agreed: that any further questions which the Committee wished to raise will be forwarded to DFP for a written response.
6. DFP Update on December Monitoring Round Outcome
Members were briefed by Richard Pengelly, Budget Director (Acting), Michael Daly, Head of Central Expenditure Division, and Paul Duffy, Central Expenditure Division, DFP on the December Monitoring Round outcome.
Agreed: that any further questions which the Committee wished to raise will be forwarded to DFP for a written response.
7. Correspondence
Members noted the following correspondence:
- Letter from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment regarding the Draft Action Plan 2008-11 for the Regional Innovation Strategy.
Agreed: that the Committee will consider any response made by DFP to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment. - Letter from the Clerk to the Employment and Learning Committee regarding a Committee briefing on the functions and responsibilities of the Central Procurement Directorate.
Agreed: that the request will be forwarded to DFP. - DFP – SL1: The Pension Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008.
Agreed: that the Committee had no concerns at this stage with the proposals to make a statutory rule. - Invitation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland to an event to discuss the implications of the Varney Report.
Agreed: that members will give further consideration to this matter at next week’s meeting.
8. Committee Work Programme
Members considered the updated Committee work programme until Easter recess.
Members were advised that the Committee Stage of the Building Regulations Bill was delayed until 20 February. The following options were considered by members for additional briefings on 6, 13 and 20 February:
- Briefing by Land and Property Services agency, which could focus on challenges facing the agency arising from forthcoming mergers with Land Registry and Ordnance Survey and also on the additional responsibilities from the rating reforms;
- Briefing by DFP officials on the Department’s response to the Committee’s report on rating reforms and an update on the Strand Two issues;
- For the DFP briefing on its Corporate Plan 2008 to be extended to include progress to date against targets in the 2007/08 business plan; and
- The potential implications from a gap between PEACE II and PEACE III funding.
Agreed: that briefings on each of the options considered will be scheduled into the Committee work programme.
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 12.04 am.
Agreed: that the revised work programme will be published on the Assembly website.
9. Any Other Business
Members noted the following:
- Press article - Union slams PFI property plan – Belfast Telegraph, 21 January 2008;
- Press article – Must do more to impress Varney – Belfast Telegraph, 21 January 2008; and
- Press article – Help Ulster help itself BP chief tells Varney - Belfast Telegraph, 21 January 2008.
Agreed: that clarification will be obtained from DFP on the media reports that a Department for Social Development regeneration proposal for the ‘Village’ area of south Belfast is being delayed by DFP. A copy of the Department’s response will be sent to the Committee for Social Development for information.
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 30 January 2008 at 10.00 am in Clare House, Airport Road West, Belfast.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.08 pm.