COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
EIGHTY NINTH MEETING
TUESDAY, 30 APRIL 2002
COMMITTEE ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Francie Molloy (Chairman)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairman)
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Billy Bell
Mr Seamus Close
Mr Roger Hutchinson
Ms Patricia Lewsley
Mr Alex Maskey
Mr Maurice Morrow
Mr Peter Weir
In attendance: Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
Mr Joe Sloan (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Shauna McDaid (Executive Support)
Mr Jonathan Briggs (Administrative Support)
The Chairman declared the meeting open at 2.10 p.m. The meeting began in closed session.
1. Chairman's business
1.1 The Principal Clerk presented the Committee's briefing papers for the day's business. The Committee discussed the briefing.
1.2 The Committee was briefed by Departmental official, Dr Andrew McCormick on the letter sent to the Committee by the Minister of Finance and Personnel regarding the figures used in relation to Health in his statement to the House on the Chancellor's Budget statement on 22 April 2002.
Mr Bell attended the meeting at 2.15 p.m. Mr Attwood attended the meeting at 2.16 p.m.
The Chairman declared the meeting open to the public at 2.25 pm.
2. Apologies
2.1 None.
3. Minutes of Proceedings
3.1 The Committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings for 23 April 2002.
Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of 23 April 2002.
4. Matters arising
4.1 The Committee noted the response from the Department of Finance and Personnel to the Committee for Education in relation to bids in Monitoring Rounds for shortfalls in income due to low bank interest rates.
4.2 The Committee noted its letter to the Minister of Finance and Personnel in relation to the lack of consultation by two Departments with Assembly Committees regarding their bids for Executive Programme Funds for Infrastructure.
Mr Hutchinson attended the meeting at 2.35 p.m.
4.3 The Committee considered a draft letter to the Minister in response to its considerations of the Departmental Position Report.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to the issue of the letter subject to an amendment provided.
Mr Maskey attended the meeting at 2.46 p.m.
5. Inquiry - European Structural Funds and Community Initiatives.
5.1 The Committee was briefed by the Principal Clerk on the summaries made of submissions to its Inquiry and considered a proposal that it take oral evidence sessions at the end of May 2002. The Committee also considered a list of individuals and organisations as potential witnesses for those sessions.
Resolved: Committee members agreed to consider their availability for specific potential evidence session dates to be provided at the next meeting and agreed in principle to the list of potential witnesses subject to some potential additions.
6. Review of Government Office Accommodation.
6.1 The Committee considered a draft response to the Minister in relation to the questionnaire produced by the Department of Finance and Personnel during the public consultation process on the Review.
Ms Lewsley attended the meeting at 2.51 p.m.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to the issue of the letter subject to amendments provided.
Mr Molloy left the meeting at 3.13 p.m and Mr Beggs chaired the meeting from that point.
MrBeggs declared the meeting closed to the public at 3.13 p.m.
7. Public Private Partnerships - Working Group.
7.1 The Committee noted receipt of the PPP Working Group's Final Report. The Report was received in confidence in advance of the commencement of the public consultation on the Report and a discussion with Departmental officials at its next meeting on 7 May 2002.
The Chairman declared the meeting open to the public at 3.16 p.m.
8. Correspondence
8.1 The Committee noted a letter from the Department on the issue of the Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin.
8.2 The Committee noted a letter from the Department on the publication of Health and Ill Health Bulletin from the Northern Ireland Health and Social Wellbeing Survey.
8.3 The Committee noted the advertisement in relation to its specialist adviser for its Inquiry into EU Structural Funds and Community Initiatives. The Committee also noted the advice given in relation to notice of the advertisement given to individuals and organisations on the Research Service database.
9. Any other business.
9.1 The Committee noted its updated business programme.
10. Date of next meeting.
10.1 The next meeting of the Committee was agreed as Tuesday 7 May at 2pm.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 3.26 p.m.
Francie Molloy
Chairman