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COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
Room 152, Parliament Buildings

Present:
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
Roy Beggs MLA
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Simon Hamilton MLA
Fra McCann MLA
Jennifer McCann 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:
Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson )
Adrian McQuillan MLA

The meeting commenced at 10.05 am in open session.

  1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

  1. Draft Minutes of Proceedings 13 February 2008

Agreed: as amended for publication on the Assembly website.
Agreed: that the evidence session with the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) officials on the Report by the Capital Realisation Taskforce will be held in closed session as requested.

  1. Matters Arising

Members noted the outstanding requests for information from the Department.

  1. Subordinate Legislation

Members considered the proposed statutory rule on The General Registrar Office (Fees) Order (NI) 2008 including the Department’s response to issues raised at the Committee’s meeting on 13 February 2008.

Agreed: that the Committee is content with the DFP response to the issues raised and has no concerns with the policy implications of the proposed statutory rule at this stage.

Mr Hamilton joined the meeting at 10.11 am.

The Committee had previously considered the following SL1s: The Rates (Regional Rates) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008 and The Rates (Industrial Hereditaments) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008 on 6 February and had no concerns with the policy implications.

The statutory rules were included in the Tenth Report of Session 2007/08 by the Examiner of Statutory Rules and no issues were raised from the Examiner’s technical scrutiny.

Mr Weir joined the meeting at 10.18 am.

Question put: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered The Rates (Regional Rates) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008 and recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly.

The Committee divided: Ayes 6; Noes 2; Abstentions 1.

AYES

Mr Beggs, Mr Hamilton, Ms McCann, Mr McCann, Mr O’Loan, Mr Weir.

NOES

Dr Farry, Ms Purvis.

ABSTENTIONS

Chairperson (Mr McLaughlin).

Question accordingly agreed to.

Question put: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered The Rates (Industrial Hereditaments) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008 and recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly.

The Committee divided: Ayes 5; Noes 2; Abstentions 1.

AYES

Mr Beggs, Mr Hamilton, Ms McCann, Mr McCann, Mr Weir.

NOES

Dr Farry, Mr O’Loan, Ms Purvis.

ABSTENTIONS

Chairperson (Mr McLaughlin).

Question accordingly agreed to.

  1. DFP Progress on Sustainable Development Action Plan

The Committee was briefed by the following DFP officials: Philip Irwin, Director of Properties Division, Hilda Hagan, Properties Division and Brendan O’Neill, Acting Divisional Director, Policy and Support Division on progress on the Sustainable Development Action Plan.

Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 10.55 am.
Mr O’Loan returned to the meeting at 11.07 am.

Agreed: that follow up issues will be forwarded to DFP for written response.

  1. Role of Public Procurement in Support of Cross-Cutting Priorities

The Committee was briefed by the following DFP officials: Roy Bell, Divisional Director, Supplies and Services Division, Sid Fairfield, Divisional Director, Works Procurement Division and Brendan O’Neill, Acting Divisional Director, Policy and Support Division on the role of public procurement in support of cross-cutting priorities.

Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.17 am.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 11.27 am.
Ms Purvis left the meeting at 11.34 am.
Ms Purvis returned the meeting at 11.35 am.
Dr Farry left the meeting at 11.39 am.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 11.46 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 11.58am.
Mr Beggs left the meeting at 11.50 am.
Mr Beggs returned to the meeting at 11.52 am.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 11.48 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 11.56 am.

Agreed: that, in view of the disappointment of several members with the delivery of the briefing by the DFP officials on this occasion, the Committee Secretariat will work with the Departmental Liaison Office to establish a standard approach for DFP officials to take when providing written and oral briefings to the Committee.

Agreed: that follow up issues will be forwarded to DFP for written response.

  1. Report of the Capital Realisation Taskforce

The Committee did not receive the scheduled oral briefing on this item due to the non-attendance of DFP’s Acting Budget Director. No explanation had been received for the DFP official’s absence.

Agreed: that the Committee will pursue this issue and will have the briefing re-scheduled. In the meantime, an update on the Report, including DFP’s position on the findings and recommendations, will be requested from the Department. An explanation will also be sought from DFP as to the delay in putting the Report into the public domain.

Mr McCann left the meeting at 12.12 pm.
Mr McCann returned to the meeting at 12.16 pm.

  1. Format for Monitoring Round Information to Committees

Members were briefed by the Clerk on potential measures for improving the format and range of information sent by departments to statutory committees on quarterly monitoring rounds.

Agreed: that the Committee’s proposals will be forwarded to DFP with a view to developing a draft template for departments to use in briefing their committees on monitoring rounds. The draft template will then be circulated to the other statutory committees for comment.

  1. Correspondence

Members noted the following correspondence:

Agreed: that a copy of the response will be issued to the Committee for Regional Development.

Agreed: that the letter will be passed to DFP for forwarding on to the appropriate authorities.

  1. Committee Work Programme

Members considered the updated Committee work programme until Easter recess. In addition, the Committee was briefed by the Clerk on a paper on potential topics for future inquiries.

Agreed: that the issue of potential topics for future inquiries will be put on the agenda for next week’s meeting.
Agreed: that the revised work programme will be published on the Assembly website.

  1. Any other Business

Members noted relevant press articles relating to the work of the Committee and that the Account NI Launch, scheduled for 21 February 2008, was postponed.

  1. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 27 February 2008 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.31 pm.

Mitchel McLaughlin, Chairperson,
Committee for Finance and Personnel.
27 February 2008

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