COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE & INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 17 MAY 2007
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Mark Durkan MP (Chairperson)
Mr Paul Maskey (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Simon Hamilton
Ms Jennifer McCann
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Sean Neeson
Mr David Simpson MP
In Attendance: Mr John Torney (Principal Clerk)
Ms Lucia Wilson (Assembly Clerk)
Miss Joanne Adair (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Stephen White (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Officer)
Dr John Power (Head of Assembly Library & Research Services)
Ms Jodie Carson (Research Officer)
Apologies: Mr Leslie Cree
Dr Alasdair McDonnell
Mr Robin Newton
The meeting opened at 2.04 p.m. in public session.
1. Welcome & Apologies.
Apologies are detailed above.
The Chairperson welcomed members to the first meeting of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Agreed: - That meetings should normally be held in public session, unless there is an overriding reason for proceedings to be closed.
2. Committee Membership.
The Chairperson drew members’ attention to the composition and membership of the Committee and the need to complete the pro-forma included in the meeting packs on the receipt of committee papers.
3. Committee Staff Details.
The Chairperson introduced the Committee Office team to the members.
4. Declaration of Interests.
The Clerk reminded members that under Standing Order 64(4) ‘before taking part in any debate or proceeding of the Assembly or its Committees, a member shall declare any interest, financial or otherwise, which is relevant to that debate or proceeding, where such interest is held by the Member or an immediate relative.’ Proceedings of the Assembly include meetings of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Mr McLaughlin joined the meeting at 2.13 p.m.
Mr Hamilton joined the meeting at 2.13 p.m.
The Chairperson read into the record Members’ interests which had been declared to the Clerk and offered members the opportunity to declare any further interests or to make changes to their declaration.
Members declared the following interests:
Mark Durkan (Chairperson) Nothing to declare
Paul Maskey (Deputy Chairperson) Belfast Visitor Convention Bureau
Andersonstown Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership
West Belfast Partnership Economic Development Committee
Belfast City Council
Féile an Phobail
Fáilte Feirste Thiar
Mr Leslie Cree Not present at meeting
Mr Simon Hamilton Member of Ards Borough Council
Member of East Boarder Region Committee
Member of Board of Governors of Newtownards Model Primary School and West Winds Primary School
Member of Orange Order and Royal Black Institution
Ms Jennifer McCann Colin Glen Neighbourhood Partnership
Lisburn City Council
Dr Alasdair McDonnell Not present at meeting
Mr Alan McFarland Trustee of Somme Association
Management Board Somme Heritage Centre
Mr Sean Neeson Elected Member of Carrickfergus Borough Council
Trustee of the National Museums of Northern Ireland
Board Member of Carrickfergus Enterprise
Board Member of SENSE Northern Ireland
Trustee of Nomadic Charitable Trust
Carrickfergus Development Company
Mr Robin Newton Director Newton Management Consultants Ltd
Director Textiles and Clothing Technology Ltd
Member East Belfast Partnership
Member Belfast Harbour Commissioners
Mr David Simpson Universal Meat Company
Blackwater Property Investments
Killylea Property Investments
Craigavon Borough Council
Portadown 2000 Regeneration Company
5. Procedures.
The Committee considered a number of guidance notes on procedural issues including:
Powers and Operations of Statutory Committees
Chairperson briefed members on the powers and operation of Statutory Committees.
Privilege and Sub-Judice.
Members noted the following statement made by the Chairperson describing the rules relating to privilege:
“Under Section 50 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, for the purposes of the law of defamation, absolute privilege applies equally to:
- The making of a statement in proceedings of the Assembly; and
- The publication of a statement under the Assembly’s authority.
The term ‘proceedings of the Assembly’ includes the work of committees. Written and oral evidence taken by committees, therefore, attracts the same privilege as any other proceeding in the Assembly. Any statement given by a witness to a committee as part of its proceedings, whether in oral or in written form, is covered by privilege.”
The Committee noted the following statement made by the Chairperson describing the rules relating to sub-judice:
‘Sub-judice falls under Standing Order 68 of the Standing Orders for Northern Ireland Assembly prepared by the Secretary of State in accordance with paragraph 5(4) of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006. Sub-judice applies from when criminal charge (or charges) is brought, or from when notice of an appeal is lodged to the time that the verdict and sentence have been announced, or from when a civil action is listed for trial until judgement is given. In such cases, the matter awaiting adjudication should not be prejudiced by comment in a public session of a committee hearing’
Guide to the role of the Chairperson
The Committee noted guidance on the role of chairpersons to statutory committees.
Guide to the role & functions of the Committee Office
Members noted guidance on the role and functions of the Committee Office.
Guidance on the role of researchers
Dr John Power, Head of Assembly Research and Library Services briefed members on the background and context, staffing and structure, research products and services available to Committees.
6. Subordinate legislation.
The Clerk briefed members regarding the procedure for consideration of subordinate legislation.
Agreed: -That the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment resolves, under Standing Order 41 to delegate to the Examiner of Statutory Rules the technical scrutiny of statutory rules referred to the Committee under the above mentioned Standing Order.
The Committee further resolves that in carrying out this function the Examiner shall be authorised to report his technical findings on each statutory rule to the Assembly, through the Business Office, and to the relevant Department, as well as to the Committee itself and to publish his report.
7. Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment First Day Brief
Mr Nigel Dodds MP MLA, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mr Stephen Quinn (Permanent Secretary), Mr Wilfie Hamilton (Head of Policy Group) and Mr Graeme Hutchinson (Head of Economics) joined the meeting at 2.38 p.m. to gave a presentation on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s role, structure and key functions. Key issues included the economic context, strengths and challenges in Northern Ireland, the economic vision for Northern Ireland and major DETI issues such as investment and trade, energy, tourism, telecommunications and economic co-operation.
There followed a detailed question and answer session. Key issues discussed included the performance of Invest NI and Northern Ireland Tourist Board, the need for a cohesive approach to economic development, the Regional Economic Strategy and the need for a strategy to encourage inward investment and attract high-value jobs to Northern Ireland.
The Minister and his officials left the meeting at 3.44 p.m.
8. Committee on Programme for Government – Briefing Paper on the Programme for Government Sub-Group on Economic Issues
The Clerk briefed members on the key issues arising from four published reports of the Committee on the Programme for Government’s Sub-Group on Economic issues and brought the Committee’s attention to two further unpublished reports on the Chancellor’s Economic Package for Northern Ireland and the proposed Irish Government Financial Package.
9. Correspondence
Members noted a letter from the Organisation of the Unemployed Northern Ireland (OUNI) seeking a meeting to discuss current funding problems and provide information on the services they provide.
Agreed: To write to thank OUNI and advise them that the Committee Clerk will be in touch should a suitable opportunity arise.
Members noted a list of DETI policies and legislation considered and screened during the period 1 October 2006 – 31 March 2007.
10. Draft Work Programme/schedule of meetings
Members discussed the draft forward work programme and schedule of committee meetings.
Agreed: That the weekly meeting of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment would be held on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in room 135, Parliament Buildings.
Agreed: That the revised draft forward work programme would be considered at the meeting on 22 May 2007.
Agreed: That senior officials would attend the meeting on 22 May to brief members’ on energy issues.
Agreed: That detailed briefing would be provided to the Committee on the performance of Invest NI and on tourism in Northern Ireland to inform future consideration of this issues.
Agreed: That a request for the draft operational plans for Invest NI and Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) to made to the DETI.
11. Draft Press Release
Agreed: To issue a press release concerning the first meeting of the Committee.
12. Any Other Business.
The Chairperson advised members that the Sir David Varney, appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to undertake a review into the role of tax policy in Northern Ireland, would meet with a number of key stakeholder in Belfast on 24 and 25th May.
Agreed: that arrangements would be made for the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson to meet with Sir David and the Varney Review team during their visit to Belfast.
Agreed: That interested members should declare their intention to attend or to identify issues to be raised during the meeting with Sir David at the committee meeting on 22 May.
Agreed: That the Clerk would provide briefing on the fiscal issues arising from the Programme for Government Sub-Group on Economic Issues Reports.
13. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 22 May at 2.00 p.m. in Room 135 Parliament Buildings. The Deputy Chairperson will be in the chair.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.25 p.m.
Mark Durkan MP
Chairperson, Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
22 May 2007.