COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 01 May 2008
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Simon Hamilton
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Gerry McHugh
Mr Robin Newton
In Attendance:
Mrs Lucia Wilson (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Paul Connolly (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Stephen White (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Leslie Cree
Mr Mark Durkan MP (Chairperson)
Ms Jennifer McCann
Mr Sean Neeson
Mr David Simpson MP
The meeting opened at 10.37am 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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Draft minutes of the meeting held on 24 April, 2008
Agreed: - The draft minutes of the meeting on 24 April, 2008 were agreed.
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Matters arising
Members noted a paper concerning timings of the Examiner of Statutory Rules Reports.
Agreed: - To maintain current Committee practice in dealing with subordinate legislation.
Members discussed how best the issue of energy price rises could best be taken forward.
Agreed: - To take further evidence and put forward a Committee Motion for debate.
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Committee Response on Post Office Closures
Members considered draft responses to the Post Office and BERR
Agreed: - Draft responses were agreed.
Agreed: - To share responses with the Consumer Counciland the ad hoc Committee on Post Offices
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Briefing from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
Representatives from the FSB joined the meeting at 10.50am.
FSB representatives Wilfred Mitchell, George Dorrian and John Rooney briefed the Committee on the problems faced by small businesses due to the volume of UK and EU regulation. Key issues discussed included the plethora of statistical returns requested by Government Departments and non-Governmental organisations, the apparent duplication of some of these returns and the disproportionate impact on small business. The Committee asked the FSB if they could forward specific examples of over-regulation or ‘gold-plating’.
Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.11am
Agreed: - That, if received, the Committee would send any such examples to the Minister for his attention.
Representatives from the FSB left the meeting at 11.23am
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Briefing from DETI Officials on the Northern Ireland Better Regulation Report 2006/07.
Officials joined the meeting at 11.24am.
Officials Mark Devlin and Janette Devlin from DETI’s Strategic Policy Division briefed the Committee on the content of the NI Better Regulation Report 2006/07. Key issues discussed steps DETI was taking in order to achieve improvements in this area such as; including the objective of better regulation in Departmental Corporate and Operating Plans, reviewing legislation impacting on business and how best practice can be networked amongst Departments.
Officials left the meeting at 11.36am.
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Briefing from DETI Officials on the EU Directive on Renewable Energy
Officials joined the meeting at 11.37am.
DETI Officials Jenny Pyper, Olivia Martin and Barbara Swann briefed the Committee on the EU Directive on Renewable Energy. Key issues discussed included; the challenges which will arise as a result of the targets being introduced and the cross-cutting nature of the Directive which will necessitate the need for the matter to be raised at a future meeting of the Northern Ireland Executive..
Robin Newton left the meeting at 12.01pm
Officials left the meeting at 12.18pm.
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Briefing from DETI Officials on Rising Energy Prices
Officials joined the meeting at 12.19pm.
DETI Officials Jenny Pyper and Fred Frazer briefed the Committee on the background to rising energy prices.
Alan McFarland left the meeting at 12.20pm
Meeting was suspended at 12.20pm
Alan McFarland rejoined meeting at 12.22pm.
Meeting reconvened at 12.22pm.
Officials left the meeting at 12.41pm
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Briefing from Invest Northern Ireland on the US/NI Investment Conference
The meeting went into closed session at 12.45pm.
Officials joined the meeting at 12.45pm.
Invest Northern Ireland Officials Jeremy Fitch and Grainne McVeigh briefed members on plans and preparations on the US/NI Investment Conference.
Agreed: That the Committee would send INI a list of those Members who would be available to attend the conference session on the morning of 8 May.
Officials left the meeting at 1.21pm
The meeting went into public session at 1.30pm.
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Forward Work Programme
Members noted the content of the most recent Forward Work Programme.
Agreed: The Forward Work Programme was agreed.
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Correspondence
Members noted the following items of correspondence:
Letter from DETI Equality & Diversity Unit regarding Screening for Equality Impact Assessment up to 31 March 2008.
Letter to Clerk from Northern Ireland Childminding Association regarding withdrawal of small business start-up grant.
Press Release received from Save the Children regarding rises in fuel costs and the impact this has on poorest families.
Letter and attachments from Clerk of the OFMDFM Committee regarding the Integrated Development Fund.
Mail-shot from European Aggregates Association (UEPG) regarding Countdown 2010
Letter and attachments from Clerk for the Finance and Personnel Committee regarding micro-generation in new homes.
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Any Other business
Members noted details of a new dedicated telephone number which they can now use to contact Invest Northern Ireland.
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Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 15 May at 10.30am in Room 21 Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.40pm.