COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 21 February 2008
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Mark Durkan MP (Chairperson)
Mr Leslie Cree
Mr Simon Hamilton
Ms Jennifer McCann
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Sean Neeson
In Attendance:
Ms Lucia Wilson (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Paul Connolly (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Stephen White (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Paul Maskey (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP
Mr Gerry McHugh
Mr Robin Newton
Mr David Simpson MP
The meeting opened at 10.12 a.m. in public session.
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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 14 February 2008.
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on 14 February 2008 were agreed.
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Matters Arising from the meeting held on 14 February 2008.
Members noted that a letter had been sent to the DETI Minister highlighting the issues raised by the Northern Ireland Energy Agency during the briefing they gave to the Committee.
Members noted the Committee’s responses to the draft DETI and Invest NI Corporate Plans.
Members noted the Committee’s response to the ARD Committee Inquiry into Renewable Energy and Alternative Land Use.
The meeting went into closed session at 10.14 a.m.
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Briefing from the Minister on the US/NI Investment Conference.
The Minister, Jeremy Fitch and Bill Montgomery joined the meeting at 10.14 a.m. and updated the Committee on the latest developments regarding the US/NI Investment Conference.
Mr McFarland joined the meeting at 10.22 a.m.
The Minister and officials left the meeting at 10.54 a.m.
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DETI February Monitoring
Officials joined the meeting at 10.56 a.m.
Briefing was provided to the Committee by Departmental Officials Noel Lavery, Trevor Cooper and Bernie Brankin.
Agreed: That the Department would write to the Committee on the Walled City project.
Officials left the meeting at 11.17 a.m.
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SR 54/2008 – Electricity (Offshore Wind and Water Driven Generating Stations) (Permitted Capacity) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
The Committee considered this Statutory Regulation and received advice from Departmental Officials George McNally and Peter Hughes.
Agreed: That the Committee had no comment at this stage subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules Report.
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SR 54/2008 – Electricity (Offshore Wind and Water Driven Generating Stations) (Permitted Capacity) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008
The Committee considered this Statutory Regulation and received advice from Departmental Officials George McNally and Peter Hughes.
Agreed: That the Committee had no comment at this stage subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules Report.
Agreed: That the Committee Office would write to the Department regarding the Committee’s role in the scrutiny of subordinate legislation at SL1 stage.
Mr McFarland left the meeting at 11.28 a.m.
Officials left the meeting at 11.30 a.m.
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Regional Innovation Strategy Draft Action Plan
The Committee considered the responses received and the commissioned research in respect of the Regional Innovation Strategy draft Action Plan. The Committee also considered their draft response.
Agreed: That the Committee was content with the wording of the draft response.
Agreed: To provide the Department with a copy of the Committee-commissioned research report.
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Varney II.
The Committee considered the responses received following the call for evidence in relation to the second review being carried out by Sir David Varney into the Competitiveness of Northern Ireland. The Committee also considered their draft response to the review.
Agreed: That the Committee was content with the wording of the draft response.
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Research Paper on Innovation
Aidan Stennett joined the meeting at 11.57 a.m.
The Committee received briefing from Assembly Researcher Aidan Stennett. The Committee also noted the content of his research paper which was procured to inform the Committee on its’ forthcoming Inquiry into Innovation and which also covered some aspects of the second Varney review.
Aidan Stennett left the meeting at 11.57 a.m.
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Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence which had been issued for their information prior to the meeting:
- Information Flyer from Pomeroy Development Projects & extract from the Dungannon Observer regarding proposed development at a forestry site
- Article from the Business Telegraph by John Simpson on the US/NI Investment Conference and Varney II
- Article from the Irish News covering the LCM debate in the Chamber on Monday.
- A copy of the 10 th Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
Forward Work Programme.
The Committee considered the current Forward Work Programme.
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Any Other Business.
The Committee noted the letter from the Minister regarding the Proposed UK Wide Regulatory Reform Order to Amend the Consumer Credit Acts 1974 & 2006.
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Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 6 March at 10.30 a.m. in room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at12.09 p.m.