COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
Minutes of Proceedings
Wednesday,
4 March 2009
Room 152, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
Simon Hamilton MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Fra McCann MLA
David McNarry MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Ian Paisley Jnr MLA
Peter Weir MLA
In Attendance:
Stephen Graham (Assembly Clerk)
Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Colin Jones (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Heather Galbraith (Clerical Officer)
Chris McCreery (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Dawn Purvis MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.03 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
Agreed : that the evidence from Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) officials on the outcome of the February 2009 Monitoring Round and on DFP’s responsibilities in the Executive’s response to the Barroso Taskforce Report will be recorded by Hansard and the finalised transcripts published on the website.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 25 February 2009
Agreed as amended: for publication on the Assembly website.
3. Matters Arising
The Committee noted the outstanding requests for information from DFP.
Members noted that the proposal for a briefing on financing strategic investment will be considered later in the meeting.
4. Outcome of the February 2009 Monitoring Round – Evidence from DFP
Mr McNarry joined the meeting at 10.25 am.
The Committee took evidence from Michael Daly; Paul Montgomery and Joanne McBurney from DFP’s Central Expenditure Division. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Agreed: that the DFP officials will provide further written information requested by the Committee during the evidence session.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 11.00 am.
Mr McQuillan left the meeting at 11.03 am.
Mr McCann left the meeting at 11.06 am.
Mr O’Loan joined the meeting at 11.08 am.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.09 am.
Mr McCann joined the meeting at 11.14 am.
5. DFP’s Responsibilities in the Executive’s Response to the Barroso Taskforce Report - Evidence from DFP
Mr McNarry joined the meeting at 11.36 am.
Mr Paisley Jnr joined the meeting at 11.45 am.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 11.57 am.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.03 pm.
The Committee took evidence from Bill Pauley and Robin Ramsey from DFP’s European Division. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Agreed: that the DFP officials will provide further written information requested by the Committee during the evidence session.
Members noted that, as previously agreed, the Official Report of the evidence session will be forwarded to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (COFMDFM).
6. Committee Stage of the Financial Provisions Bill
Members noted an Assembly Research paper on the Financial Provisions Bill.
Agreed : a provisional timetable for the Committee Stage of the Bill.
Agreed : a public notice for publication in the appropriate newspapers.
Agreed : that the Bill will be copied to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, the Public Accounts Committee and the Audit Committee for consideration.
7. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered Statutory Rule 2009 No. 58: The Rates (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and the accompanying explanatory memorandum, which had been laid in the Business Office by DFP. Members noted that the Committee had previously been briefed by DFP officials on the proposal for this subordinate legislation on 18 February 2009, when the Committee agreed that it was content with the policy implications of the proposed legislation.
The Committee noted the Report from the Examiner of Statutory Rules, which raised no issues by way of technical scrutiny.
Agreed : that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered the Rates (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and has no objection to the Rule.
The Committee noted a proposal from DFP to make a Statutory Rule under the Pensions Increase (Review) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009. It was noted that the subsequent Statutory Rule will be laid in the Assembly but is not subject to any Assembly proceedings.
8. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence:
- DFP: Update on the progress of the Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit: Follow Up on Delivery Arrangements for Programme for Government Monitoring;
Agreed: that the results of the latest performance monitoring exercise at a cross-departmental level will be requested from DFP for receipt in advance of next week’s briefing and that the information will be shared with the other statutory committees;
- DFP: Interim Response on Analysis of Departmental Efficiency Delivery Plans;
Agreed: that confirmation will be sought from DFP that the report of DFP’s analysis will be forwarded to the Committee in due course;
- DFP: Forecast Outturn Data for January 2009;
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 12.15 pm.
- DFP: Response to the Committee for Social Development on the February 2009 Monitoring Round;
Agreed: that this will be forwarded to the Committee for Social Development as requested;
- DFP: Notice of Evaluation of the Policy of Rating Non-Domestic Vacant Properties;
Agreed: that the Committee will request a briefing on the outcome of the evaluation on completion;
Mr Weir joined the meeting at 12. 17 pm.
- Invitation from House of Lords Select Committee on the Barnett Formula;
Agreed: that Mr McLaughlin; Dr Farry and one of the four Committee members from the Democratic Unionist Party will attend and that the matter will be raised again at next week’s meeting to enable members from the other political parties to confirm their attendance;
Agreed: that the Committee will commission an Assembly Research paper on the Barnett formula for consideration at the Committee meeting on 25 March;
- DFP: Response to the Committee for Employment and Learning on the Employment Services Board;
Agreed: that this will be forwarded to the Committee for Employment and Learning as requested;
- DFP: Response to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure Inquiry into the Funding of Arts in Northern Ireland;
Agreed: that this will be forwarded to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure as requested;
- DFP: Further Detail on Performance Bonuses paid to Permanent Secretaries in the Northern Ireland Civil Service;
Agreed: that a further breakdown of the bonuses paid in 2008 will be requested, together with similar information over the past four years for comparative purposes;
Agreed: that the Committee will write to DFP to determine when the response due from the Minister on the Committee’s call for an independent review of the senior civil service pay system, which was due on 11 February 2009, will be received;
- Minister of Finance and Personnel: Response to the Committee Report on the Presumption of Death Bill.
Mr McCann left the meeting at 12. 22 pm.
9. Financing Strategic Investment
The Committee considered a secretariat paper outlining the options for scrutinising the cross-cutting issue of financing strategic investment.
Agreed : that, subject to the focus of the briefing being on the financing of strategic investment as opposed to the merits of individual projects, a briefing from DFP officials and representatives from the Strategic Investment Board will be provisionally scheduled and that the Committee will write to COFMDFM, seeking its agreement on the proposed way forward.
10. Committee Work Programme
Members considered the current draft of the Committee work programme until summer recess.
Agreed : that a briefing will be sought from DFP on the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards.
Members noted that twenty-seven responses had been received to date on the Committee Inquiry into Public Procurement Practice in Northern Ireland, including three from the other statutory committees. A summary of the issues raised will be prepared for consideration at a future meeting, after which the Committee can decide which stakeholders to invite to give oral evidence.
Members considered a request from the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) for copies of the papers provided by DFP to accompany the evidence given by DFP officials on HR Connect and Workplace 2010 on 25 February 2009. It was noted that the papers had not been restricted by DFP.
Agreed : that the papers will be forwarded to NIPSA as requested.
Agreed : that the current draft of the programme will be published on the Assembly website.
11. Any Other Business
None.
12. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 11 March 2009 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.27 pm.