Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Allan Bresland MLA
Willie Clarke MLA
Tommy Gallagher MLA
Danny Kinahan MLA
Raymond McCartney MLA
Ian McCrea MLA
George Robinson MLA
Brian Wilson MLA

In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Trevor Allen (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Andrew Larmour (Clerical Supervisor)
Alison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA

The meeting commenced at 10.34am in open session.

Members noted a tabled amended agenda for the meeting.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

Members noted papers which were tabled for consideration later in the meeting.

2. Draft Minutes of Meeting held on 20 January 2010

Agreed : The minutes were agreed for publication on the Assembly’s website.

3. Matters Arising

10.41am Mr Robinson joined the meeting

4. Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

Members noted a Hansard report of the Second Stage debate on the Bill and a paper from a Member detailing points raised during the debate.

The Committee received a briefing from Assembly Research and Library Services that provided a synopsis of the Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and highlighted the provisions of the Bill. The briefing also included a comparison of the provisions for managing events on roads and permit schemes in England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

10.50am The meeting moved into closed session

Agreed: Members considered and agreed a timetable for the Committee Stage of the Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.

Agreed: Members considered and agreed a motion to the Assembly to extend the time to report on the Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.

Agreed: Members considered and agreed, subject to amendment, a list of key stakeholders to be contacted to make submissions to the Committee during the Committee Stage of the Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.

11.01am The meeting returned in open session

5. Revised Expenditure Plans: Briefing from Assembly Research and Library Services

11.14am Mr Kinahan joined the meeting

Members noted an issues paper on the Revised Expenditure Plans and correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to a briefing to the Committee on the Revised Expenditure Plans.

The Committee received a briefing from Assembly Research and Library Services on the role of infrastructure investment in stimulating economic growth during a recession.

Agreed: Following Members’ questions on the briefing, the Committee agreed to forward the paper to the Department for Regional Development for comment. Members also agreed to publish the research paper on the Assembly website and that the paper be included in the Committee’s submission to the Finance and Personnel Committee on the Revised Expenditure Plans.

6. Equality Unit Quarterly Report

Agreed: Members noted the Department for Regional Development’s Equality Unit’s Quarterly Report and agreed to request additional information on the screening out of the policy for Half Fare Smartpass Usage on Public Transport Return Journeys.

7. Correspondence

Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Utility Regulator regarding the revised programme for the publication of the PC10 Final Determination. Members agreed to schedule a briefing on the Final Determination on 10 February 2010 and also to request that Utility Regulator officials meet with the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson in advance of the publication of the Final Determination.

Members noted the Community Relations Council’s annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2009.

Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure on its inquiry into participation in sport and physical activity in Northern Ireland and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for Regional Development for comment.

Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure on the promotion of townland names and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for Regional Development for comment.

Agreed: Members noted Northern Ireland Water’s response to customer supply problems in County Tyrone and agreed to consider this item during a briefing to the Committee on this issue.

Agreed: Members noted the report of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on its inquiry into European Issues and agreed to defer consideration of this report to a future meeting.

Members noted the following invitations:

Members noted the following reports:

Members noted the following press releases, previously emailed to Members:

11.23am The meeting moved into closed session

Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Regional Development in relation to Northern Ireland Water and agreed to schedule a briefing from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Regional Development and the Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Water.

11.35am The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting

11.46am The meeting resumed in open session

8. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee received a briefing from Departmental officials Kevin Monaghan, Roy Gordon and David Millar on the Department’s proposed subordinate legislation “The Control of Traffic ( Belfast) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and the Parking Places on Roads ( Belfast) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010”.

Agreed: that the Committee would write to the Department, indicating that it is content with the policy merits of the associated SL1.

Agreed: Members agreed to explore the possibility of a site visit to the area of Belfast affected by the proposals and the Streets Ahead project.

Members noted the following Departmental proposal to make subordinate legislation:

Members noted that the SL1 memos from the Department on the above proposals made no reference to their having been the subject of a public inquiry. Members noted that the Department has confirmed that the police service and relevant local councils affected by the above proposals have been informed, and the Committee office has not received any comments from the relevant councils regarding this policy proposal.

Members considered the following Statutory Rules which have been laid in the Assembly’s Business Office by the Department for Regional Development and are subject to the negative resolution procedure. Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules, in the Eighth Report to the Assembly for 2009/10, made no comments on these rules.

Agreed: Members agreed to defer consideration of SR 2009/406 The T8 Moira-Antrim-Magherafelt-Moneymore Trunk Road Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 to the Committee meeting on 3 February 2010.

In the absence of any objection, the following question was put and agreed:

‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered SR 2009/421 The Charlestown Road, Portadown (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and has no objection to the rule.’

Members decided that the Clerk would inform the Business Office of the decisions made today.

9. Any Other Business

Agreed: Members considered a revised forward work programme for the Committee and agreed that the revised work programme should be published on the Assembly website.

10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 at 10.30 am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.15pm.

Michelle McIlveen, MLA
Deputy Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development
3 February 2010

20 January 10 / Menu