COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 10 DECEMBER 2009
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Butler (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Jennifer McCann
Mr David Simpson MP
Mr Gregory Campbell MP
Mr Stephen Moutray
Mr Leslie Cree
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Sean Neeson
Mr Gerry McHugh
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP
In Attendance:
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Sohui Yim (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Michelle McDowell (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Alban Maginness (Chairperson)
The meeting began at 10.31am in public session with Paul Butler in the Chair.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of meeting held on the 3 December
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on the 3 December were agreed.
3. Matters arising
Members discussed a letter from the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) regarding the draft Caravans Private Members Bill.
Agreed: To defer this information until the Committee considers the draft Bill again.
Members noted a briefing paper from the Department on the Rose Energy Incinerator Project.
Paul Butler declared an interest as the Project is based in his constituency.
Alan McFarland joined the meeting at 10.34am.
Members noted a response from the Department explaining why an invitation to the MATRIX event was sent on such short notice.
Members noted a letter from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) regarding third party capture. The letter outlined the FSA’s plans for ensuring that third party capture is practiced within ethical codes and guidelines.
Agreed: To copy the letter and information to the Law Society of Northern Ireland.
Members discussed a letter from the Minister to the Chair regarding plans for face-to-face debt advice services.
Agreed: To request a timeline for the independent research report into debt advice provisions and more details on objectives and outcomes when they are available.
Members discussed a response from the Department regarding issues raised in a letter from the NI Energy Holdings (recently renamed Mutual Energy) and discussed electricity grid development.
Agreed: To seek from the Department whether the electricity grid development takes into consideration the NIRO Consultation, specifically in relation to Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) and the feed-in tariff system and also asked if this will be compatible with the RoI.
Members noted information from the Department regarding Credit Union legislation. That is, that the Department will return to this in January 2010 when DETI Business Regulation Division (BRD) has firm proposals for making legislative changes regarding Credit Union reform.
Members discussed a briefing paper from the Department relating to how a bank-led system for small loans could be improved.
Agreed: To invite Capital for Enterprise Ltd. to meet with the Committee.
The Deputy Chair informed Members of the meeting with the five local authority led groups in relation to INTERREG funding on 8 December.
Leslie Cree declared an interest as a member of the Partnership Board.
Gregory Campbell joined the meeting at 10.49am.
Agreed: For the Chair and Deputy Chair to meet with Pat Colgan of the SEUPB, along with the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee.
Members noted an email from the Department relating to a revision in Alastair Hamilton’s presentation slides from the meeting on the 26 November.
The Deputy Chair reminded Members that it was agreed to go into closed session at the end of today’s meeting to review the Committee’s work this year and discuss and agree priorities for the 2010.
4. Tourism Signature Projects –Update: Oral Briefing
Officials joined the meeting at 10.55am.
The Committee received an oral presentation from Alan Clarke, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), Siobhan McCauley, Director of Product Development, NITB and Ciaran McGarrity, Principal Officer DETI Tourism Policy. Key issues included an update on all Tourism Signature Projects and risks of the Projects.
Agreed: For NITB to provide further information on outcome of meetings between DETI Officials and SEUPB on INTERREG funding for projects.
Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.15am.
Stephen Moutray joined the meeting at 11.23am.
David Simpson joined the meeting at 11.23am.
Agreed: For NITB to provide additional information on improving links to Europe, specifically in relation to the St.Patrick’s trail and the Pilgrim’s Trail/Route.
Alasdair McDonnell left the meeting at 11.34am.
Officials left the meeting at 11.43am.
Agreed: For NITB to provide an update on the Tourism Signature Projects in January or February 2010.
Agreed: To request, from the 5 local authority led groups, a list of those projects that are awaiting INTERREG funding.
5. SL1 – The Electricity and Gas (Billing) (No. 2) Regulations (NI) 2009
The Committee discussed SL1 - The Electricity and Gas (Billing) (No. 2) Regulations (NI) 2009.
Agreed: To seek clarification on what the errors were in SR 215/2009 The Electricity and Gas (Billing) Regulations (NI) 2009, that the proposed Statutory Rule will correct.
6. SR – 401/2009, The Provision of Services (Insolvency Practitioners) Regulations (NI) 2009
The Committee discussed the SR above.
Question put and agreed: That the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment has considered the Provision of Services (Insolvency Practitioners) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rule’s Report, has no objection to the Rule.
7. SR – 402/2009, The Insolvency Practitioners and Insolvency Account (Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order (NI) 2009
The Committee discussed the SR above.
The Committee called Alison Aiken, DETI Insolvency Services and put questions.
Alasdair McDonnell rejoined the meeting at 12.09pm.
Question put and agreed: That the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment has considered the Insolvency Practitioners and Insolvency Account (Fees) (Amendment) (No.2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rule’s Report, has no objection to the Rule.
Members raised the issue of employment law versus insolvency law.
Agreed:To commission Assembly Research to address current issues and status of employment law versus insolvency law.
8. Regional Innovation Strategic Action Plan 2008-2011 – Written Briefing.
Members discussed the written briefing.
Agreed: To ask the Department if it is aware of the reasons for the delay in the decision on the allocation of INTERREG funding.
Agreed: To inform the Environment Committee of the delays and obtain its views.
Agreed: To write to the Finance & Personnel Committee to request an update on the INTERREG funding for Innovation projects.
9 . EU Services Directive Update – Written Briefing
Members discussed and noted the written briefing.
10 . Correspondence
Members noted the following items of correspondence:
I. Letter from Islandmagee Storage Limited to the Chair on their proposed gas storage project.
Sean Neeson declared an interest.
II. Notification from the Department on the Health and Safety Appeals Tribunal for Northern Ireland.
III. Memo from Regional Development Committee, regarding a letter from a member of the public in relation to services available to disabled people in the public/private sector.
Agreed: To forward the letter to the Department to obtain its views.
IV. Memo from the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee Clerk, along with an email from the company Demetrion, regarding developing anaerobic digestion facilities in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: To forward the email to Assembly Research to assist in the research the Committee has commissioned on renewable energy in Europe.
V. Letter from Chris Clark, CEO of BT Northern Ireland, to Chair.
VI. Letter from Minister to Culture, Arts and Leisure (CAL) Committee Chair regarding the NI Events Company.
Agreed: To forward the letter to the CAL Committee.
VII. Consultation document on HSENI’s Proposals for the Control of Artificial Optical Radiation at Work Regulations (NI) 2010.
11. Any Other Business
There were no other items of business.
12. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will be on the 14 January at 10.30am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting went into closed session at 12.24pm .
13. Forward Work Programme
Members discussed the forward work programme for January-April 2010.
Gregory Campbell left the meeting at 12.30pm.
Sean Neeson left the meeting at 12.34pm.
Stephen Moutray left the meeting at 12.48pm.
David Simpson left the meeting at 12.54pm.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.56pm .