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COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE & INVESTMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

TUESDAY, 22 MAY 2007
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Mr Paul Maskey (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Leslie Cree
Mr Simon Hamilton
Ms Jennifer McCann
Dr Alasdair McDonnell
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Sean Neeson
Mr Robin Newton
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)

Apologies: Mr Mark Durkan MP (Chairperson)

The meeting opened at 2.03 p.m. in public session with Mr Maskey in the chair.

1. Apologies.

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Declaration of Interests.

The Deputy Chairperson 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.’

roceedings of the Assembly include meetings of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

The Committee noted Members’ interests which had been declared to the Clerk.

The Deputy Chairperson offered members the opportunity to declare any further interests or to make changes to their declaration. There were no further declarations.

3. Draft minutes of meeting held on 17 May.

Agreed - the draft minutes were agreed.

4. Matters Arising

The Deputy Chairperson advised members that Sir David Varney, appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to undertake a review into the role of tax policy in Northern Ireland, had written to the Chairperson confirming an invitation to meet to discuss issues relating to the review.

Agreed: - That the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson would meet with Sir David on Friday 25 May 2007.

Agreed: - That the Clerk would provide briefing in preparation for the meeting.

Members discussed the remit and timescales of research to be commissioned into the performance of Invest NI and on key issues arising from recent reports into tourism in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: - That the Clerk would commission research into the performance of Invest NI and on key issues arising from recent reports into tourism in Northern Ireland based on the Committee’s discussion.

5. Briefing with Senior Officials on Energy (Electricity, Sustainable Energy, SEM)

Mr Wilfie Hamilton (Head of Policy Group), Ms Jenny Pyper (Head of Energy Division) and Mr Peter Hughes (Energy Division) joined the meeting at 2.14 p.m. to gave a presentation and answered members’ questions on energy issues relating to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 2.39 p.m.

Key issues discussed included the development of energy policy in Northern Ireland, the Strategic Energy Framework, energy costs, sustainable energy, energy efficiency, competition and the development of a Single Electricity Market.

6. Consultation on Implement of Electricity Directive 2003/54/EC

Officials gave a brief presentation and answered members’ questions on a statutory consultation document on the proposed further implementation in Northern Ireland of Directive 2003/54/EC. The Directive concerns common rules for the internal market in electricity and the creation of a fully competitive liberalised internal electricity market.

Agreed: - That officials would provide information on responses to the public consultation exercise prior to the Committee providing a substantive response.

7. Consultation on Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order (NI) 2007

Officials gave a brief presentation and answered members’ questions on a statutory consultation document regarding the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO), which is the Department’s main policy vehicle for supporting the development of renewable electricity in Northern Ireland.

The statutory consultation relates to a proposed change to current legislation governing the NIRO -The Renewables Obligation Order (Northern Ireland) 2007. The proposed change focuses on the declaration required from generators under the current legislation to provide for the introduction of the Single Electricity Market (SEM) arrangements in November 2007.

Agreed: - That officials would provide information on responses to the public consultation exercise prior to the Committee providing a substantive response.

Officials left the meeting at 3.17 p.m.

8. Subordinate Legislation – SL1s

The Committee considered the following SL1s:

Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 3.25 p.m.

Agreed: - That the Department should be asked to provide further information to allow the Committee to make an informed decision.

9. Correspondence

Mr Hamilton rejoined the meeting at 3.28 p.m.

The Deputy Chairperson advised members that a letter had been received from the Northern Ireland Manufacturers Focus Group (NIMFG) seeking a meeting to ascertain the Committee’s intentions in taking forward the issue of industrial rates and the overall future of manufacturing in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: - That the Committee would meet with NIMFG at a suitable date.

Agreed: - That research would be commissioned on the issue of industrial de-rating.

Mr McLaughlin left the meeting at 3.32 p.m.

10. Draft Work Programme/schedule of meetings

Members noted the revised draft forward work programme.

11. Any Other Business.

There were no other items of business.

12. Date, time and place of next meeting.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 29 May at 2.00 p.m. in Room 135 Parliament Buildings. It will include a briefing from senior officials on Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment strategic policy issues.

The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.40 p.m.

Paul Maskey
Deputy Chairperson, Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
29 May 2007.

17 May 2007 / Menu