COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
MONDAY, 29 MARCH 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Alban Maginness (Chairperson)
Mr Paul Butler (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Leslie Cree
Mr Gerry McHugh
Mr Gregory Campbell MP
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP
Ms Jennifer McCann
In Attendance:
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Jonathan Lamont (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Michelle McDowell (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr David Simpson MP
Mr Stephen Moutray
Mr Sean Neeson
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of meeting held on the 25 March 2010
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on the 25 March were agreed.
Alan McFarland joined the meeting at 10.41am.
3. Matters arising
Members discussed a response from the Department regarding regulation of claims management companies.
Agreed: To forward to the Justice Committee after it is formed.
Members noted a response from the Department regarding incentives for anaerobic digestion.
Agreed: To forward the response to KEDCO for their comments.
Gerry McHugh joined the meeting at 10.44am.
Members discussed a draft response to the Clerk to the Finance and Personnel Committee regarding support for carers.
Agreed: To issue response to the F&P Clerk.
Members discussed a draft motion for the Committee’s proposed debate in Plenary regarding INTERREG IVA funding and also a revised motion for the take note debate on the case for a reduced rate of corporation tax.
Agreed. INTERREG IVA motion to be tabled in Business Office as amended for debate on 20 April. Corporation Tax motion to be tabled in Business Office for debate on 11 May.
4. Energy Bill – Oral briefing
Officials joined the meeting at 10.48am.
Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 10.48am.
Members received an oral briefing from Jenny Pyper, Head of DETI Energy Division, Fred Frazer and Susan Stewart, DETI Energy Division. Main issues discussed included powers of access to premises for gas companies; Gas Meter Stamping and Testing; and Special Administration Regime for Electricity and Gas.
Leslie Cree declared an interest in relation to involvement with gas companies.
Alasdair McDonnell left the meeting at 11.06am.
Officials left the meeting at 11.31am
Agreed: The Department to provide figures from companies regarding meter tampering.
Agreed: The Department to seek DSO views with regard to previous Gas Legislation.
5. Firmus Energy – Oral Briefing
Officials joined the meeting at 11.33am.
Members received an oral briefing from Mark Prentice, General Manager and Michael Scott, Head of Business Development, Firmus Energy. Main issues discussed included the need for a switching mechanism to enable customers to be switched between gas companies.
Jennifer McCann left the meeting at 12.14pm.
Gregory Campbell left the meeting at 12.17am.
Officials left the meeting at 12.18pm.
Agreed: As the Committee has already written to the Utility Regulator regarding a switching mechanism it was agreed to ask the Regulator to include specific reference to pay-as-you-go customers in his response.
6. NI Electrical Standards Lobbying Group –Written Briefing
Members discussed the written briefing. Main issue considered included the differing standards for installers in the electricity industry throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Agreed: To write to the Health and Safety Executive, Trading Standards and the Consumer Council for comment.
7 . Correspondence
The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:
I. Information from the Clerk to the Committee for the Environment regarding Sustainable Development.
II. Invitation from the Mount to the Chair regarding the opening of their new office facility.
III. Email regarding the ‘Impact of the Recession on Construction Professionals’ official launch at 31 March.
IV. Letter from the Clerk of the OFMDFM Committee regarding European Funding for research and development under the Seventh Framework Programme.
Agreed: To copy the letter to the Department for a response.
8. Any Other Business
There were no other items of business.
9. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 15 April at 10.30am, in the SEMO Premises, Castlereagh House, 12 Manse Road, Belfast.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.34pm.