COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 20 MAY 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Alban Maginness (Chairperson)
Mr Paul Butler (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Gregory Campbell MP
Mr Leslie Cree
Ms Jennifer McCann
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP
Mr Gerry McHugh
Mr David Simpson 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 Daithí McKay
Mr Stephen Moutray
Mr Sean Neeson
The meeting began at 10.34am in closed session.
1. Consideration of Debt Relief Bill: Internal Memo from the Examiner of Statutory Rules
Members discussed the memo.
Agreed: Content with the Examiner’s comments.
The meeting opened in public session at 10.37am.
2. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
3. Minutes of meeting held on the 13 May
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on the 13 May were agreed.
4. Matters arising from 13 May meeting
Members discussed an Assembly Research Paper regarding a comparison of the Varney Review and the ERGNI report on corporation tax reform.
Agreed: To refer to the research paper the next time the Committee considers corporation tax.
David Simpson joined the meeting at10.42am.
Members noted a Departmental response regarding areas in NI that do not and will not have access to next generation broadband and a letter from a member of the public highlighting problems with rural broadband availability.
Jennifer McCann joined the meeting at 10.46am.
Members discussed a letter from the DETI Finance and EU Programmes Division to the Clerk to the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding the Department’s use of the Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit (PEDU).
Agreed: To receive the terms of reference and project plan for the organisational change programme when available.
Members discussed a response from NITB regarding Ireland Luxury Tours.
Agreed: To receive the outcomes of NITB’s internal appeal review.
Agreed: To forward the Department’s response to Ireland Luxury Tours.
Members discussed the Department’s response regarding an extension to the draft tourism strategy.
Agreed: To copy the Department’s response to the Environment Committee.
Members discussed a request from the Culture, Arts and Leisure (CAL) Committee to have NITB officials brief its members regarding the draft Tourism Strategy.
Agreed: Content for NITB Officials to brief the CAL Committee and for the CAL Committee to liaise directly with the Department to make arrangements.
Members noted a briefing paper from the DETI Finance and EU Programmes Divison regarding closure of the 1994-1999 Single Programme Document (SPD).
Members noted an interim report from the National Assembly for Wales regarding the future of cohesion policy.
Members noted a draft itinerary of the Committee’s visit to Europe next week.
Agreed: Content with the itinerary.
Members discussed the Caravans Bill.
Agreed: To welcome the Caravans Bill.
5. SL1 The Control of Asbestos (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Members discussed the Control of Asbestos (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2010.
Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.01am.
Officials from the Health and Safety Executive NI joined the meeting at 11.02am to answer members’ questions.
Agreed: Content with the SL1 and no comment.
The officials left the meeting 11.10am.
6. SR 169/2010: The Petroleum Production (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Members discussed SR above.
Question put and agreed: That the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment has considered the Petroleum Production (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rule’s Report has no objection to the Rule.
7. SR 170/2010: The Hydrocarbons Licensing Directive Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Members discussed SR above.
Question put and agreed: That the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment has considered The Hydrocarbons Licensing Directive Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rule’s Report has no objection to the Rule.
8. Consideration of the Debt Relief Bill – Written briefing
Members discussed the Debt Relief Bill.
Officials from DETI’s Insolvency Service joined the meeting at 11.27 am to answer members’ questions.
Jennifer McCann had reservations regarding Clause 2, Part I and suggested that the Bill might benefit from an ‘exceptional circumstances clause,’ as suggested by Advice NI, to take into account unforeseen changes in an individual’s situation.
Agreed: To await Departmental officials’ response after their discussions with their counterparts in GB regarding problems that have arisen from Debt Relief Orders in England.
The officials left the meeting at 11.53am
9. NITB Business Tourism Plan 2010-2013 – Written Briefing
Members discussed written briefing.
Agreed: To request copy of the full Business Tourism Plan and consider at the meeting on 3 June.
10. Evaluation of the Northern Ireland Science Park – Written Briefing
Members discussed the written briefing.
Agreed: To invite NI Science Park officials to provide an oral briefing to the Committee at a future date.
Agreed: To receive the Department’s views on the recommendations made by the evaluation and its proposals to implement the recommendations.
11. Northern Ireland Screen Commission’s Strategy for 2007-2010 – Building on success.
Members considered the written briefing.
Agreed : To consider the NI Affairs Committee’s Report in relation to television broadcasting at a future meeting.
Agreed: Toask Northern Ireland Screen how they plan to take forward the recommendations.
12. DETI Draft Operating Plan – Written Briefing
Members considered the written briefing.
Agreed: To defer until the meeting on 3 June.
Agreed: To receive information on the status of the Executive sub-committee on the economy.
Gregory Campbell left the meeting at 12.16pm.
13. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:
I. Letter from Enterprise NI responding to the Committee’s query on criteria for membership to Enterprise NI.
II. Correspondence from the Finance and Personnel Committee regarding Post Project Evaluations (PPEs) outstanding.
Agreed: To copy to the Department and request an explanation for the delay in completing its PPEs.
III. Correspondence from the Finance and Personnel Committee regarding its inquiry into the role of the Assembly in scrutinising the Executive’s budget and Expenditure.
Agreed: To defer until 3 June meeting.
IV. Correspondence from the Finance and Personnel Committee regarding remuneration for external advisors employed by DFP.
Agreed: To request remuneration details for those external advisors currently engaged by DETI business areas and NDPBs.
V. Information from the Finance and Personnel Committee regarding Allied Irish Bank and First Trust Bank.
Agreed: Finance and Personnel Committee to write to the Minister for DETI, and Finance and Personnel and OFMDFM to form a delegation to meet with the Irish Banking Officials Association (IBOA).
VI. Letter from Professor Derek Birrell, University of Ulster, requesting more information on credit unions.
Agreed: To post papers relating to credit unions to the Committee’s website and direct Professor Birrell to the Committee website.
VII. Letter from Invest NI CEO, Alastair Hamilton to the Chair regarding attendance of a representative from Invest NI to the Committee’s renewable energy event.
VIII. Background information on the Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP) Draft Framework Document.
IXEmail from Chambré Public Affairs, on behalf of its client, Gaelectric, requesting a meeting with the Chair.
Agreed: Chair to meet with Gaelectric Officials.
X. Letter from the Agriculture Committee to IntertradeIreland.
Agreed: To forward the letter to the Department, for the attention of IntertradeIreland.
14. Any Other Business
Agreed: To explore the possibility of a future visit to Kingspan, Portadown.
Agreed : To write to the Biogas Alliance and invite an oral presentation.
15. Date, time and place of next meeting
Members agreed to receive their meeting packs on Tuesday 1 June for the meeting of 3 June.
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 3 June at 10.30am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.32pm.