Proceedings of the Regional Development Committee
Minutes of meeting held on Wednesday 18 October 2000
in room 135, Parliament Buildings
1. Minutes of the Last Meeting
2. Matters Arising
3. Initiation of Legislation
4. Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
5. Statutory Rules
6. Date of Next Meeting
Present were:
Mr A Maginness (Chairman)
Mr A Mc Farland (Deputy Chairman)
Mr D Ervine
Mr W Hay
Mr D Hussey
Mr P McNamee
Rt Hon JD Taylor MP
Mr J Wells
In Attendance:
Mrs D Pritchard ( Committee Clerk)
Mr S Fay ( Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr N Currie ( Executive Support)
Mrs S Young ( Administrative Support)
Apologies:
Mr PJ Bradley
Absent:
Mr J Byrne
Mr R Hutchinson
The meeting commenced at 10.32am.
1. Minutes of last meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2000 were agreed.
2. Matters arising
Mr Hay joined the meeting at 10.34am.
(a) Visit to Roads Service.
The Committee noted the revised programme for the visit to the Roads Service's Western Division in Omagh and Enniskillen on 15 November 2000.
Agreed: That the Chairman and Committee staff will make any adjustments to times where necessary.
That the Chief Executive will be asked to provide details of the issues that he and the Chairman of Fermanagh District Council will be raising at the meeting.
(b) Multinational Retailers
The reply from the Department about the review of PPS 5 is awaited.
(c) Implications of using private bus companies for public transport.
The Committee received a reply from the Department about the policy on licensing bus services and the implications for Ulsterbus.
Agreed: That the Clerk will draft a reply which the Committee will consider at next week's meeting.
(d) Railways - Proposed visit to the Chilterns Railways
Mr Hussey joined the meeting at 11.02am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the programme and revised dates for the visit.
That consideration will be given to viewing the light rail system in operation in Strasbourg.
(e) Flooding
The Department's report on recent flooding in Northern Ireland is awaited.
3. Initiation of legislation
The Committee noted the paper from the Clerk of Bills about the Committee role in the initiation of legislation.
Agreed: That the Chairman will raise at the Chairs' Liaison Group the lack of drafting facilities available to Members to help them to introduce legislation.
4. Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
The Committee noted a copy of Mr Fred Fraser's submission to the Department dated 30 May 2000 detailing his comments on the Report of the Panel conducting the Public Examination of February 2000 on "Shaping our Future" and on the response by the Department to the report.
Agreed: That the Department be asked to brief the Committee on its role with regards to planning issues.
5. Statutory Rules
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 275 -
East Bread Street, Belfast (Stopping-Up) (Revocation) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000;
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 276 -
Route U1414 Franklyn Park, Lurgan (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000.
and has no objection to the Rule.
The Committee discussed the papers received from the Department regarding Statutory Rules.
Agreed: That the Department be asked to provide short background papers, details of any objections and, where appropriate, maps of the areas affected when submitting Statutory Rules to the Committee.
6. Date of next meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 25 October 2000 at 10.30pm. in room 135 Parliament Buildings.
The meeting closed at 11.40pm.