COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 18 JUNE 2009
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Mark Durkan MP (Chairperson)
Ms Jennifer McCann (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Gerry McHugh
Mr Jim Wells
In Attendance:
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Sohui Yim (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Diarmaid Elder (Clerical Officer)
Ms Michelle McDowell (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Robin Newton
Mr Leslie Cree
Mr Sean Neeson
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Paul Butler
The meeting opened at 10.51 a.m. in public session.
Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.27am.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of meeting held on 11 June.
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on 11 June were agreed.
3. Matters arising.
Attacks on Romanian Community.
Agreed: To issue press release condemning the recent attacks on the Romanian community.
Members noted briefing note from UCIT providing details of research into barriers facing social economy enterprises in NI.
Agreed: To write to Ian Pearson on issue of FSA regulations.
Members noted the Chair’s cover letter to the MLA’s on the Committee motion.
Members noted a DETI press release on the latest labour market figures.
Members noted charts submitted by Invest NI on client performance.
Members noted a memo from the Regional Development Committee on the economic downturn.
Members noted the Clerk’s issues paper on Committee’s motion on the economic downturn.
Agreed: To add information from the DETI press release, Invest NI charts, Regional Development memo, and NI Tourist Board/Tourism Ireland Limited oral briefings to the Clerk’s final issues paper.
Agreed: To add information from the CAL Committee to the Clerk’s final issues paper when it arrives later in the afternoon.
Members noted a Departmental response regarding the North South Interconnector.
Members noted Invest NI’s response regarding no ‘first charge’ on land to ensure clawback from Visteon.
Members noted a Departmental response in connection with Varney II in the areas of investment, innovation and enterprise.
Agreed: To await the Barnett Review and next MATRIX briefing to discuss the relevant points in Varney II.
Members noted a press article relating to the status of the Barnett Review and Invest NI.
Members noted a report from NILGA on the Local Government Response Programmme.
Agreed: To seek DETI’s Enterprise Strategy once it has been completed.
Members noted a letter from the FSA stating that a meeting with Margaret Cole is to be arranged with the Chair regarding Presbyterian Mutual Society.
Members noted a letter written to Ian Pearson regarding PMS.
Agreed: To share letter with the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, Chancellor of the Exchequer, DETI Minister, PMS Administrator, and Secretary of State for NI.
Members noted a press article in relation to the First Minister’s meeting with the Prime Minister on PMS.
Members discussed the Chair’s meeting with Mike Bohill.
Agreed: To receive an oral briefing from Departmental Officials regarding the Treasury Report on the credit unions on 2 July.
Members discussed the Chair’s meeting with Leslie Morrison.
Members noted a request from the Central Committee Office regarding delegation of authority to Chair/Deputy Chair to release/withhold information in any non-routine/contentious FoI requests.
Members noted the Examiner’s Report detailing information on SR 215/2009, Electricity and Gas Billing Regulations (NI) 2009.
Members discussed the Institute of Director’s request for information on the Next Generation Broadband Services.
Agreed: For the Clerk to liaise with IoD to ensure Fiona Hepper would provide an oral briefing to IoD.
Members discussed the topics of the Minister’s oral briefing on the 25 June: out-turn/performance for 08/09; operating plan for the current year; preparation for upturn; and the Strategic Energy Framework Tourism Strategy.
Members noted the letter written to the Minister on the delay of the tender for face-to-face debt advice.
Agreed: To share the letter with Advice NI.
NITB officials joined the meeting at 11.14am.
4. NI Tourist Board on economic downturn.
Members received an oral briefing from Robert Cully, Howard Hastings and Kathryn Thomson. Key issues included current marketing developments, statistics for tourism in NI and expected outcomes for the future.
Alasdair McDonnell left the meeting at 11.50am.
NITB officials left the meeting at 12.09pm.
TIL officials joined the meeting at 12.10pm.
5. Tourism Ireland on economic downturn.
Members received an oral briefing from Niall Gibbons, Aubrey Irwin and Simon Gregory. Key issues included marketing RoI and NI outside the island, current challenges and forecasts for the future.
Simon Hamilton left the meeting at 12.35pm.
TIL officials left the meeting at 12.37pm.
Meeting suspended at 12.40pm due to lack of quorum.
Meeting continued at 12.41pm.
Simon Hamilton rejoined the meeting at 12.41pm.
6. SL1-The Health and Safety at Work Order (Application to Environmentally Hazardous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2009.
Agreed: That the Committee had no comment at this time.
7. Correspondence from OFMDFM.
The Committee discussed an enquiry from the OFMDFM Committee, regarding the Debt Relief Order and when it will be available to the people of Northern Ireland.
Agreed: To forward the enquiry to the Minister.
Citizens Advice officials joined the meeting at 12.43pm.
Jennifer McCann left the meeting at 12.43pm.
8. Citizens Advice on debt in NI.
Members received an oral briefing from Scott Kennerley and Derek Alcorn. Key issues included the Debt Relief Bill, debt infrastructure in NI and current debt relief schemes in NI.
Agreed: To bring up issues in next week’s meeting in Matters Arising to proceed.
Citizens Advice officials left the meeting at 1.20pm.
9. Committee’s Scrutiny of Projects: KPMG Evaluation of the Reconnect Programme.
Agreed: To defer this item until next week’s meeting.
10. Committee’s Scrutiny of Projects: Linergy Power.
Agreed: To defer this item until next week’s meeting.
11. Committee’s Scrutiny of Projects: Fusion III.
Agreed: To defer this item until next week’s meeting.
12. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence:
- Letter from Gaelectric thanking Committee for opportunity to brief Committee.
- Letter from E Synergy inviting Chair to launch of the NISPO Invest Growth Fund on the 2 July.
- Letter from Social Economy Network inviting the Committee to hold one of its meetings in the Greater Belfast Area.
Agreed: To defer this invitation to next week’s meeting.
- Letter from BMF Business Services regarding NI economic conference on 30 September.
- Submission from DETI ON Evaluation Programme 2008/09.
- Letter to Chair from Minister regarding implementation of the Consumers, Estates Agents and Redress Act 2007.
13. Any other Business
There were no other items of business
14. Date of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 25 June at 10.30 a.m. in Room 21, Parliament Buildings, Stormont.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.25pm