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COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE & INVESTMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

TUESDAY, 05 JUNE 2007
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Mark Durkan MP (Chairperson)
Mr Paul Maskey (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Leslie Cree
Mr Simon Hamilton
Ms Jennifer McCann
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP
Mr Alan McFarland
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 Peter Gilleece (Senior Researcher)

Apologies:
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin

The meeting opened at 2.05 p.m. in public session.

  1. Apologies.

Apologies are detailed above.

  1. Declaration of Interests.

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

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

Agreed: - That the Principal Clerk would investigate and report back on whether Members should declare their position as Members of Parliament.

  1. Draft minutes of meeting held on 29 May.

Agreed - the draft minutes were agreed as amended.

  1. Matters Arising

The Committee noted information provided regarding DOW Jones journalist, Andrew Peaples, and considered his request to interview Members of the Committee on Northern Ireland’s economy in the wake of devolution. The Chairperson advised Members that Mr Peaples would be available on 3 and 4 July to interview interested Members.

Agreed: - That Members interested in being interviewed would contact the Committee Clerk by Friday 8 June so arrangements can be made.

Agreed : - That Members would be interviewed as individual Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and not as representatives of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

  1. Varney Review of Tax Policy in Northern Ireland

Members noted a letter from Sir David Varney formally seeking written evidence on the Review of Tax Policy in Northern Ireland. The call for evidence was presented under three headings: the effect of tax on business decision-making, national and international context and other drivers that improve the business environment.

Mr Maskey joined the meeting at 2.22 p.m.

The Chairperson updated Members on his discussion with Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, Chairperson to the Committee for Finance and Personnel, on options for responding to Sir David Varney. Members noted a copy of the initial submission to the Review Team from the Committee for Finance and Personnel and details of recent press coverage on the Varney Review.

The Committee discussed options for responding to the Review Team.

Mr Simpson joined the meeting at 2.46 p.m.

Agreed: - That the Clerk would liaise with the Clerk to the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the approach to the Varney Review by both Committees.

Agreed: - That senior officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment would attend the meeting on 12 June to highlight the Department’s position with regard to the Varney Review.

Agreed: - That the Committee would be briefed by economist, Mike Smyth, on key issues surrounding the Varney Review and tax policy in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: - That the Committee would consider a draft response to the Varney Review team on 26 June.

  1. Briefing with Senior DETI Officials
DETI Finance Issues

Mr Noel Lavery (Head of Management Services Group) and Mr Trevor Cooper (Head of Finance & EU Programmes) joined the meeting at 2.56 p.m.
Mr Lavery gave a presentation and answered Members’ questions on finance issues relating to Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

Ms McCann left the meeting at 3.13 p.m.
Mr Maskey left the meeting at 3.31 p.m.

Key issues discussed included June Monitoring Round, core budget, expenditure pressures and possible resource bids.

EU Programmes

Mr Trevor Cooper (Head of Finance & EU Programmes) gave a presentation and answered Members’ questions on EU Programmes.

Key issues discussed included EU Programme 2007-2013, indicative activities and territorial co-operation.

Officials left the meeting at 4.00 p.m.

Agreed: - That the Committee would further consider departmental bids under the June Monitoring Rounds at its meeting on 12 June 2007.

Agreed: - That officials would forward details of the Department’s June Monitoring Round for the Committee to consider at the meeting on 12 June 2007.

Agreed: That a further session on the PSA framework for CSR bids would be held on 26 June.

  1. Subordinate Legislation – Electricity (Class Exemptions from the Requirement for a Licence) Order 2007 (SL1 stage)

Jenny Pyper (Head of Energy Division) and George McNally (DP Energy Division) joined the meeting at 4.09 p.m. to answer Members’ questions regarding the Department’s proposals for the Electricity (Class Exemptions from the Requirement for a License) Order 2007.

Agreed: - That the Committee had no comment to make on the proposed Regulations at this stage.

Agreed: - That the Department would provide information on the results of the ongoing consultation exercise as responses were received.

Officials left the meeting at 4.13 p.m.

  1. Correspondence

Members noted a copy of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s Draft Disability Action Plan, which had been approved by the Minister and issued for consultation on 5 June 2007.

The Chairman advised Members that he had received a letter from the Chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Sir Patrick Cormack MP, enclosing a copy of the Government response to its Report on Tourism in Northern Ireland and a copy of the original Report.

Agreed: That Members would be provided with copies of Sir Patrick’s cover letter and the Government’s response.

Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 4.14 p.m.

  1. Forward Work Programme

The Committee discussed the scheduling of briefings from the Economic Development Forum and the Northern Ireland Manufacturers’ Focus Group (NIMFG).

Agreed: - That arrangements would be made for NIMFG to attend the meeting on 19 June 2007.

Agreed: - That arrangements would be made for EDF to attend the meeting on 3 July 2007.

Agreed: - That the Committee’s Work Programme would be posted on the Northern Ireland Assembly’s website.

  1. Any Other Business.

There were no other items of business.

  1. Date, time and place of next meeting.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 12 June at 2.00 p.m. in Room 135 Parliament Buildings. It will include consideration of departmental bids under the June Monitoring Round and briefings by DETI officials and representatives from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Tourism Ireland

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.27 p.m.

Mark Durkan MP MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
12 June 2007.

 

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