COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE & INVESTMENT
Minutes of Proceedings
TUESDAY, 9 OCTOBER 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 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 2.05 p.m. in public session with the Deputy Chairperson in the chair.
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Apologies.
Apologies are detailed above.
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Declaration of Interests.
There were no new interests declared.
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Minutes of meeting held on 2 October 2007.
Agreed - the draft minutes were agreed as amended.
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Matters Arising.
Members discussed the way forward for further consideration of the issue of credit unions In Northern Ireland.
Agreed: That the committee would undertake further consideration of this issue with a view to producing a short report on its findings and recommendations.
Agreed: That DETI officials and representatives of the General Consumer Council should attend the meeting on 23 October to brief members.
Agreed: That research would be commissioned into the role of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the regulation of credit unions in Great Britain.
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Briefing from DETI Officials on Evaluation of Regional Innovation Framework.
Ms Fiona Hepper (Head of Strategic Policy), Mrs Anne Conaty (Head of Innovation Policy Unit) and Mr Bernard McKeown (Innovation Unit) attended the meeting at 2.14 p.m. and briefed members and answered questions on the evaluation of the Regional Innovation Strategy.
The meeting was suspended at 2.25 p.m. to allow members to vote in a plenary division.
The meeting was resumed at 2.34 p.m.
Key issues discussed included the policy context of the Regional Innovation Strategy, performance of key priorities under the current RIS Action Plan and ongoing work to prepare the new RIS Action Plan 2008 – 11.
Officials left the meeting at 3.07 p.m.
Agreed: To defer further discussion to a later date.
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Consideration of Developments at Giant’s Causeway.
Mr Aidan Stennett, Assembly Research and Library Services, attended the meeting at 3.09 p.m. and briefed members on the research paper on the role of UNESCO in the designation of World Heritage Sites with particular reference to the Giant’s Causeway.
Mr Stennett left the meeting at 3.25 p.m.
Agreed: That the Assembly Research and Library Services would provide information on the remit of English Heritage and international examples of the management of World Heritage Sites.
Members noted a number of press articles and a transcript of a radio discussion on plans for a visitors’ centre at the Giant’s Causeway.
Agreed: That members would be provided with an outline planning history of the Giant’s Causeway area since 1985 in order to identify specific issues for more detailed consideration.
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Subordinate Legislation.
Mr Reg Nesbitt (Director of Insolvency Unit) and Mr Jack Reid (Insolvency Unit) attended the meeting at 3.36 p.m. to brief members and answer questions on SL1: - The Insolvency ( Northern Ireland) Order 2005 (Disqualification from Office: General) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007.
Officials left the meeting at 3.45 p.m.
Mr Cathal McLaughlin (Company Law Unit) attended the meeting at 3.45 p.m. to brief members and answer questions on SL1: - The Companies (Tables A-F) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007
Mr McLaughlin left the meeting at 3.49 p.m.
Agreed: That the Committee had no comment to make on the proposed regulations at this stage.
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Forward Work Programme.
Members considered options for an alternative meeting day.
Agreed: That future committee meetings would be held on Thursdays mornings in Room 21 as soon as practically possible.
This was demonstrated by a show of hands: five in favour and four against.
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Any Other Business.
There were no other items of business.
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Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 16 October 2007, in room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.56 p.m.