In attendance:
Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
Ms Sheila Mc Clelland (Clerk)
Mr Joe Sloan (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Shauna Mc Daid (Executive Support)
Mr Jonathan Briggs (Administrative Support)

The Chairman declared the meeting open at 2.35 p.m. The meeting began in closed session.

1. Chairman's business

1.1 The Chairman welcomed Mr Roy Beggs to the Committee.

1.2 The Principal Clerk presented the Committee's briefing papers for the day's business. The Committee discussed the briefing.

The Chairman declared the meeting open to the public at.2.37 p.m.

2. Apologies.

2.1 None.

3. Minutes of Proceedings

3.1 The Committee considered and agreed the Minutes of Proceedings for 26 February 2002.

3.2 Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of 26 February 2002.

4. Matters arising

4.1 The Committee noted the letter from the Minister in response to its letter dated 5 February 2002 relating to the performance of Land Registers. The Committee also noted a letter dated 28 February 2002 from the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) on the same subject. The Committee noted that this issue was scheduled for review in the Committee's Business Programme.

4.2 Resolved: The Committee agreed to send the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance letter to the Minister for advice and comment.

4.3 The Committee noted the Principal Clerk's letter to the Business Office following its consideration of the Statutory Rule for Regional Rates 2002.

Mr Attwood attended the meeting at 2.41 p.m.

4.4 The Committee noted the record of its meeting with the Public Private Partnerships Working Group official.

4.5 The Committee considered the Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules dated 1 March 2002 regarding the Statutory Rule for Regional Rates 2002.

4.6 Resolved: The Committee agreed to ask the Minister to explain the reasons for the delay in laying the Statutory Rule.

4.7 The Committee noted the response by the Department of Finance and Personnel in relation to the Department of Employment and Learning's consultation on Trade Union Learning representatives.

4.8 Resolved: The Committee agreed to forward the response to the Department of Employment and Learning.

Mr Bell attended the meeting at 2.45 p.m, Mr Hussey attended at 2.49 p.m and Mr Maskey attended at 2.56 p.m.

5. Budget 2002 / Spending Review 2002 (SR 2002)

5.1 The Minister of Finance and Personnel and Departmental officials Dr Andrew McCormick, and Mrs Linda Walker attended the meeting and briefed the Committee on the detail of the timetable for the Budget 2002 following the Minister's statement to the Assembly on Monday 4 March 2002.

5.2 The Minister outlined three key stages in the process and the involvement by Assembly Committees, leading to the introduction of the Budget 2002.
Mr Hutchinson attended the meeting at 3.17 p.m. Mr Morrow left the meeting at 3.24 p.m.

5.3 The Minister and his officials answered questions from the Committee and the Minister agreed to provide all committees with a copy of the guidance for Departmental Position Reports. The Minister also agreed that his officials would provide training for Assembly Committees and staff on the processes involved in this year's Budget.

5.4 The Minister agreed that all Departmental Position Reports would be copied to the Committee for Finance and Personnel.

The Chairman declared the meeting in closed session at 4.19 p.m.

6. Review of Rating Policy

6.1 The Committee's specialist advisers Mr David Magor and Mr Pat Doherty attended the meeting and briefed the Committee on their initial analysis of the Rating Policy Review First Stage Report.

6.2 The specialist advisers answered questions from the Committee.

6.3 Departmental officials Dr Andrew McCormick and Mr Brian McClure attended the meeting and briefed the Committee on the Rating Policy Review First Stage Report.
Mr Hutchinson left the meeting at 4.54 p.m and Ms Lewsley left the meeting at 5.00 p.m..

6.4 The officials answered questions from the Committee and invited the Committee's view on the key questions being asked in the document and their suitability for inclusion in the public consultation document being drawn up by the Department of Finance and Personnel.

Mr Molloy left the meeting at 5.05 p.m. Mr Beggs chaired the meeting from 5.05 p.m. and declared the meeting open to the public.

7. Law Reform Advisory Committee discussion paper - Formalities for contracts relating to the sale of land or interests in land.

7.1 The Committee considered the discussion paper and an explanatory note from LRAC.

7.2 Resolved: The Committee agreed to write to the Law Reform Advisory Committee to acknowledge its consideration of the discussion paper and the ongoing consultation.

8. Inquiry - European Structural Funds and Community Initiatives.

8.1 The Committee noted the lists of individuals and organisations invited to make submissions to its Inquiry.

8.2 The Committee noted the statement by the Minister of Finance and Personnel on the sixth North/South Ministerial Council Sectoral meeting on Special European Union Programmes.

Mr Beggs, Mr Hutchinson and Mr Hussey declared interests as members of Local Strategy Partnerships.

9. Statutory Rule - (Negative Resolution) - Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 2002.

9.1 The Committee considered an advance explanatory note from the Department in relation to the proposed Statutory Rule on Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 2002.

9.2 Resolved: The Committee noted the explanatory memorandum.

10. Committee Visit

10.1 The Committee noted the schedule for its visit to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 12 March 2002 and was advised that papers for the meetings would be despatched to the Committee.

11. Correspondence

11.1 The Committee considered the letter from the Committee for Social Development regarding the adoption of the Noble Indicators. The Committee noted that there was no reason why any committee could not put down a motion to debate this issue.

11.2 Resolved: The Committee agreed to forward the letter to the Minister of Finance and Personnel for a response.

11.3 The Committee noted the letter from the Department of the Environment regarding consultation on Draft Anti - Pollution Works Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002.

11.4 The Committee noted the letter from the Committee for the Environment regarding the seminar/reception for the UK Sustainable Development Commission. Members were asked to contact the Committee office to confirm their intention to attend.

12. Any other business.

12.1 The Committee noted its updated business programme.

13. Next Meeting

10.1 The next meeting of the Committee was agreed as Tuesday 19 March 2002.

The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 5.17 p.m.

Francie Molloy
Chairman

26 February 2002 / Menu / 19 March 2002