PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday, 21 December 1999 at 12.00 noon in room 135, Parliament Buildings
1. Declaration of interests
2. Presentation by the Department on the Port of Belfast
Present were:
Mr A Maginness (Chairman)
Mr A Mc Farland (Deputy Chairman)
Mr J Byrne
Mr D Ervine
Mr W Hay
Mr D Hussey
Mr R Hutchinson
Rt Hon J D 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 C Murphy
Mr Maginness announced that, following Mr Haughey's appointment as Junior Minister and subsequent resignation as Chairman of this Committee, he has been nominated by the SDLP, in accordance with Standing Orders, as Chairman of the Regional Development Committee.
1. Declaration of interests
Mr Taylor advised that he had declared his interests to the Clerk of Standards and Privileges. The Committee Clerk will obtain a copy.
Mr McFarland will send his updated declaration to the Clerk.
2. Presentation by the Department on the Port of Belfast
The Minister and two of his senior officials, Mr R Spence, Permanent Secretary and Mr R McMinnis, Director of Air and Seaports Division, joined the meeting at 12.05pm.
Mr Spence and Mr Mc Minnis made a presentation on the proposed sale of Belfast Harbour referring specifically to the following;
- Privatisation is necessary to provide funding for Northern Ireland Departments.
- Lessons have been learned from the sale of Belfast International Airport - there should not be a trade sale; timing in relation to the local market is essential; and Northern Ireland must reap the benefits of the sale.
- The Belfast Harbour Commissioners (BHC) have no vested interest in the sale.
- Belfast Harbour is a Public Trust Port whose board is appointed by the Department but is independent of it.
- The legislative process involved in the sale was outlined.
- The role and responsibilities of the Department were explained.
The Committee discussed the matters raised with the senior officials and the Minister.
- A rigourous valuation of the land and port will take place at a later stage in the process.
- The Minister must be happy with the selling price.
- The leasing of land by BHC continues.
- Negotiations are ongoing with HMT about the availability to Northern Ireland of any money above £70 million guaranteed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
- There is likely to be an impact on the other ports in Northern Ireland although they are expected to remain competitive.
- The Department is looking at other measures to help the other ports. It will provide a progress report.
- The Department will summarise the way forward in an options paper which will be presented to the Committee and debated by the Assembly.
- The Minister cannot provide the report on the review of Trust Ports, as he does not have access to it. The Committee will discuss this matter at the next meeting.
The Minister finished by congratulating the Chairman on his appointment.
The meeting closed at 1.35pm.