COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 29 January 2009
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Mark Durkan MP (Chairperson)
Ms Jennifer McCann (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Paul Butler
Mr Leslie Cree
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Sean Neeson
Mr Robin Newton
Mr Jim Wells
In Attendance: Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Paul Connolly (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Stephen White (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP
Mr Gerry McHugh
The meeting opened at 10.32 a.m. in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Declaration of Interests.
There were no new interests declared.
Leslie Cree joined the meeting at 10.35 a.m.
3. Minutes of meeting held on 22 January 2008.
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on 22 January 2008 were agreed.
Simon Hamilton joined the meeting at 10.37 a.m.
Paul Butler joined the meeting at 10.38 a.m.
4. Matters Arising.
Members noted the invitee list for the STEM Subjects briefing for 18 February.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to issue invitations to the CBI, IoD, IntertradeIreland and relevant officials in DETI and Invest NI.
5. Review of NI Economic Development Policy
Officials joined the meeting at 10.40 a.m.
Alan McFarland joined the meeting at 10.47 a.m.
Professor Richard Barnett, Chairman of the Independent Review of Economic Policy and Vice Chancellor of the University of Ulster, Dr Graham Gudgin, Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge, and Oxford Economics and Graeme Hutchinson Grade 6, Head of Economics Division briefed members on the ongoing review of Economic Development policy. Key issues discussed included the rationale behind the review and the methodology the panel intends to use in order to consider the effectiveness of current DETI policies.
Officials left the meeting at 11.45 a.m.
Meeting went into closed session at 11.45 a.m.
6. Credit Union Inquiry – Consideration of Committee Report
The Committee considered the current draft of the Credit Union Inquiry report.
Agreed: The tabled amendments to the report were agreed.
Agreed: To further consider the report at next week’s meeting.
Agreed: That the Chair would sign the motion to debate the Inquiry Report which has been provisionally scheduled for 18 February.
Leslie Cree left the meeting at 12.19 p.m.
Alan McFarland left the meeting at 12.25 p.m.
Meeting returned to public session at 1.00 p.m.
7. Terms of Reference for the Finance & Personnel Committee’s Scrutiny of Public Procurement Policy
Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer this item until next week’s meeting.
8. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence which had been issued for their information prior to the meeting:
- Draft consultation paper from the Health & Safety Executive, containing proposals for the future provision of a registration scheme for Gas Installers in NI.
- Details of the 4th Infrastructure Ireland Investment Conference 2009 to be held in the Waterfront Hall on 11th & 12th March.
9. Any Other Business.
There was no other business.
10. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 5th February at 10.00 a.m. in room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.02 p.m.