COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 14 JANUARY 2010
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS.
Present: Mr Alban Maginness (Chairperson)
Mr Paul Butler (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Jennifer McCann
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 David Simpson MP
The meeting began at 10.31am in public session.
Stephen Moutray joined the meeting at 10.32am.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of meeting held on the 10 December 2009
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on the 10 December 2009 were agreed.
3. Matters arising
Members noted a response from the Department regarding an action plan for the delivery of all the MATRIX Report recommendations.
Members discussed an update from the Department on the transfer of NI Events Company functions to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
Agreed: To forward the information to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure.
Members noted a response from the Department regarding the delay in INTERREG funding for projects under the Regional Innovation Strategic Action Plan.
Members noted a response from the Department relating to Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs), feed-in tariffs and financial arrangements for the electricity infrastructure.
Alan McFarland joined the meeting at 10.37am.
Members discussed a response from the Department on the issue of services to disabled people.
Agreed: To forward the response and the Department’s Disability Action Plan to the Committee for Regional Development.
Members noted a response from the Department with clarifications on SL1: The Electricity and Gas (Billing) (No. 2) Regulations (NI) 2009.
Agreed: Members were content with the response.
Members noted a response from the Department regarding the timeline, objectives and outcomes of the independent research into debt advice provisions in NI.
Members discussed information from the 5 local authority-led bodies relating to projects that are still awaiting INTERREG funding.
Agreed: To liaise with the Department and request any new information as it develops.
Members discussed a paper from DFP on INTERREG, forwarded by the Committee for Finance and Personnel.
Agreed: To write to the Committee for Finance & Personnel to request a meeting between the Chair and Deputy Chair of this Committee, Chair and Deputy Chair of the Finance & Personnel, Committee and SEUPB.
4. Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme –Oral Briefing from Capital for Enterprise Limited
The official joined the meeting at 10.48am.
The Committee received an oral presentation from Mark Hambly, Director of Debt Markets, Capital for Enterprise Limited. Key issue discussed was the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme.
Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.04am.
Gregory Campbell joined the meeting at 11.09am.
The official left the meeting at 11.27am.
Agreed: To receive figures on the distribution from the previous Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme (SFGL) from the lenders.
Agreed: The Committee Office to gather information on the European Investment Bank and bring it to the Committee.
5. Consultations on Implementation of Unbundling Provisions of the 2009 Electricity Directive and 2009 Gas Directive – Written Briefing
Members discussed the written briefing and consultation documents.
Agreed: To request a written briefing on the outcome of the consultations, when they become available.
6. Draft Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan 2009-2020, Consultation Document – Written Briefing
Members discussed the consultation document.
Agreed: To request a written briefing on the outcome of the consultation, when they become available.
7. Gas (Northern Ireland) Bill –Outcome of consultation –Written Briefing
Members discussed the written briefing.
Agreed: Request the full responses to the consultation prior to the Committee stage of the Bill.
Agreed: To invite key stakeholders to provide written briefings on the Bill when the Committee considers the Bill.
Agreed: To raise the relevant issues with the Utility Regulator during the Committee stage of the Bill.
8. PSA Monitoring Return – Quarter 2 – Written Briefing
Members discussed the written briefing.
Agreed: To address the red rating under tourism with Departmental Officials when the Tourism Strategy comes back to the Committee.
Agreed: To request on answer to a question on the financial section of the tourism PSA.
Agreed: To consider the PSA targets every 6 months rather than every 3 months.
9. Strategic Energy Framework (SEF) – Outcome of consultation - Oral Briefing
Officials joined the meeting at 11.43am.
The Committee received an oral presentation from Jenny Pyper, Head of DETI Energy Division and Paul Dolaghan, Principal, Energy Division. Key issues included the outcome of the SEF consultation, next steps for the SEF and emerging renewable energy sources.
Agreed: To request information on gas price differentials for commercial consumers (from the same supplier), specifically in areas where there is competition vs. little/no competition.
Stephen Moutray left the meeting at 12.01pm.
Alasdair McDonnell left the meeting at 12.31pm.
Sean Neeson left the meeting at 12.45pm.
Gerry McHugh left the meeting at 12.46pm.
Officials left the meeting at 12.55pm.
Agreed: To request information on gas price differentials for commercial consumers (from the same gas supplier), specifically in areas where there is competition vs little/no competition.
Agreed: To receive oral briefings from key stakeholders when the Department’s proposals are brought forward.
10. Arntz Belting – Oral Briefing
Officials joined the meeting at 12.56pm.
The Committee received an oral presentation from Des Gartland, Manager Invest NI NW Regional Office and Geoff Spence, Invest NI Client Executive. Key issue discussed was details of possible redundancies at Arntz Belting.
Officials left the meeting at 1.11pm.
11. Forward Work Programme
Members discussed the Forward Work Programme.
Agreed: The meeting on 21 January (at USEL) to start at 10.00am in closed session.
Agreed: To receive a presentation from the Social Economy Network at the meeting of 21 January.
Agreed: To request an oral briefing as well as a written briefing for possible credit union legislation.
Agreed: To include the Department’s revised expenditure plans 2010-2011 in the packs for the meeting on the 21 January, and to receive an oral briefing on the issue on the meeting of 28 January.
Agreed: To consider proposals for a European visit at a future meeting.
12. Correspondence
Members noted the following items of correspondence.
I. Letter of thanks from the NI Assembly Business Trust (NIABT) to the Chair, regarding his attendance at the panel discussion event following the AGM on the 7 December.
II. Memo from the Regional Development Committee Clerk regarding the company Demetrion.
III. Memo from the Regional Development Committee Clerk regarding their research paper on accessible transport.
Agreed: Clerk to draft a response to the paper and bring it to the Committee next week.
IV. Invitation to the Chair from the OECD to the seminar “Sustaining a Global Recovery” on the 18 February in Paris.
Agreed: Chair to attend OECD Seminar.
V. Letter from the Minister to the Chair with an update on the status of the proposed UK-wide Financial Services Bill.
VI. Letter from the Minister to the Chair on the enforcement regime for the EC Air Services Regulation (ASR), EC 1008/2008 in Northern Ireland.
VII. Paper from the Department to the Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee regarding the company Interfrigo Ltd.
VIII. Invitation from the Utility Regulator to the Sustainable Energy as a Driver of Jobs and Investment Seminar.
IX. Information on European SME week (25 May-1 June).
Agreed: The Committee Office to bring options to the Committee at a future meeting.
X. Letter from the Treasury Select Committee to the Chair regarding his attendance at the Presbyterian Mutual Society evidence session on 18 January.
Agreed: To host a light lunch for the Treasury Select Committee and to invite the DETI Minister, DFP Minister and Mark Durkan MP MLA.
Gregory Campbell left the meeting at 1.28pm.
XI. Memo from the Environment Committee Clerk requesting a meeting between the Chair of the ETI Committee, the Chair of the Environment Committee and the Chair of the OFMDFM Committee to discuss issues surrounding the implementation of PSA 22 – Sustainable Development Implementation Plan.
Agreed: To accept invitation to Chair to attend the meeting.
13. Any Other Business
There were no other items of business.
14. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 21 January at 10.00am in Ulster Supported Employment Limited, 182-188 Cambrai Street, Belfast, BT13 3JH.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.30pm.