COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Alban Maginness (Chairperson)
Mr Paul Butler (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Paul Frew
Mr Paul Givan
Mr William Irwin
Mr Sean Neeson
Ms Jennifer McCann
Ms Claire McGill
Mr Gerry McHugh
Dr Alasdair McDonnell
Mr Sean Neeson
In Attendance:
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Sohui Yim (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Michael Greer (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Michelle McDowell (Clerical Officer)
The meeting began at 10.35am in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Declaration of Interests
The Chair formally welcomed the new members of the Committee.
Members noted the declared interests of four new members: Paul Frew, Paul Givan, Claire McGill and William Irwin.
Agreed: To write to former members, Gregory Campbell MP and Daithí McKay to thank them for their contributions to the Committee.
3. Minutes of meeting held on the 9 September 2010
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on the 9 September were agreed.
4. Matters arising from meeting on 9 September 2010
The Chair reminded members of the agreed joint meeting with the Committee for Finance and Personnel (CFP) regarding banks on 22 September.
Members discussed a letter from the British Bankers Association (BBA) to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the report entitled, “Financing a Private Sector Recovery.”
Agreed: Content for CFP to receive an oral briefing from the BBA and have papers copied to this Committee.
The Chair advised members that a minimum of five from each committee is required to maintain quorum for the joint meeting, and that members should confirm their attendance to the Committee Office.
Gerry McHugh joined the meeting at 10.45am.
Members discussed letters from the Employment and Learning Minister and the Chair of the Employment and Learning Committee regarding Quinn Insurance.
Agreed: To receive the final report from the Response Coordinator of Quinn Insurance, when it becomes available.
Members noted an update from the Department on Project Kelvin.
Agreed: To schedule an oral briefing from the Department later in the year to get an update on the progress of the Project.
Members noted a response from the Department regarding difficulties for SMEs in meeting costs when implementing health and safety regulations
Members discussed an email from a member of the public regarding standards for electrical installation in NI.
Agreed: To forward the email to the Committee for Finance and Personnel.
Members discussed a response from the Department to the Culture, Arts and Leisure (CAL) Committee regarding the NI Tourism Strategy.
Agreed: To forward the response to the CAL Committee.
Members discussed an informal visit to Belfast City Council’s North Foreshore Giant’s Park to view its sustainable energy generation facilities.
Agreed: Members to contact the Committee Office if they wish to attend.
5. NI Science Park: Oral briefing
Professor Norman Apsley joined the meeting at 10.50am.
Members received an oral briefing from Professor Norman Apsley, CEO NI Science Park. Key issues included how NI Science Park is nurturing and creating businesses, what links have been established with international science park and what is being done to improve/create business links.
Dr Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.03am.
Agreed: To receive the next NI Science Park Corporate Plan, as it will set out targets and actions for the future.
Professor Norman Apsely left the meeting at 11.41am.
6. NI Executive Budget 2010 – DETI Bids and Spending Plans: Oral briefing
DETI officials joined the meeting at 11.42.
Members received an oral briefing from Colin Lewis, DETI Deputy Secretary Management Services Group and Trevor Cooper, Head of DETI Finance. Key issue discussed included the potential impact of Budget 2010.
Sean Neeson left the meeting at 11.58am.
Paul Givan joined the meeting at 11.58am.
Agreed: To receive details on the capital spending bid for the St Patrick’s Signature Project.
Agreed: To receive figures for the rate of failures for new businesses.
Jennifer McCann left the meeting at 12.15pm.
Agreed: To receive information on the current expenditure bid for the telecoms remote broadband services project and if it will provide cover for those rural areas that currently do not have access to broadband.
Jennifer McCann rejoined the meeting at 12.25pm.
DETI officials left the meeting at 12.30pm.
7. Tourism (Amendment) Bill: Oral briefing
DETI officials joined the meeting at 12.31pm.
Members received an oral briefing from Lorraine Fleming and John Simms, DETI Tourism Policy and Caroline Adams, NITB. Key issue discussed included the Tourism (Amendment) Bill.
Agreed: Officials to check figures/information on whether the situation (where it has historically been difficult to get financial assistance from NITB/Invest NI) has improved in relation to local organisations and local tourism groups (specifically in West Belfast).
Agreed: To invite NILGA to provide oral evidence regarding the Bill.
Agreed: To request an extension for the Tourism Bill until Monday, 29 November.
DETI officials left the meeting at 12.50pm.
8. Energy Bill: Written briefing
Members discussed the written briefing.
Agreed: To invite the Utility Regulator and the Consumer Council to provide oral evidence on the Energy Bill.
Agreed: To start next week’s meeting in closed session to consider internal memos from the Examiner of Statutory Rules regarding the Energy Bill and Tourism Bill.
9. Renewable Energy Inquiry: Written briefing
Members discussed the written briefing.
Agreed: To invite the Department, Invest NI and the Utility Regulator to provide oral evidence to the Inquiry.
Agreed: To invite the Department of Environment (DoE) and the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to provide oral evidence to the Inquiry.
Agreed: Members to take time to analyse responses before deciding which additional issues to consider as key issues for the Inquiry and which other organisations to invite to provide oral evidence to the Committee.
Agreed: To request relevant information from the Committee for ARD from its Renewable Energy Inquiry and from the Committee for Environment from its Climate Change Inquiry.
Agreed: To invite GT Energy to provide oral evidence to the Committee regarding deep geothermal energy as part of the Inquiry.
10. Correspondence
Members noted the following items of correspondence:
I. Consultation on proposed changes to the NIRO 2011.
II. Consultation on changes to the Renewable Electricity Guarantees of Origin (REGOs)
III. Email from Utility Regulator regarding the NI Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP) Framework Document Decision Paper.
IV. Correspondence from NITB to the Environment Committee regarding the Environment Committee’s Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill.
V. Correspondence from the Consumer Council regarding its details of policies which have been considered and screened for Equality Impact Assessment (UQIA).
VI. Invitation from Employment and Learning Committee to all Committee members to a business breakfast to promote links between business and the FE Colleges.
VII. Invitation from Citizens Advice to the Chair to the launch of the Dealing with Debt Service Annual Report 2009/10.
VIII. Letter from Minister regarding research on sustainable energy communications in Northern Ireland.
Agreed : To include the information from the Minister to written evidence received for the Renewable Energy Inquiry.
IX. Paper from NITB regarding its Industry Development Programme.
X. Correspondence from the Culture, Arts and Leisure (CAL) Committee regarding collections of royalties by the Performing Rights Society in London.
XI. Agreed : To ask that the Minister copy her response to the Music Foundation to this Committee, whenever it is available, so that it can be forwarded to the CAL Committee.
XII. Notice for a public consultation on an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) on proposals for a Justice Bill ( Northern Ireland) to be introduced into the Assembly.
XIII. Letter from NICVA requesting to present to the Committee on the Comprehensive Spending Review 2011-2015, along with a research paper by Oxford Economics.
Agreed: To thank NICVA and advise that, given the Committee’s current workload, it will not be possible to schedule an evidence session in the near future.
XIV. Letter from the Utility Regulator to state that he has written to Philip Lowe, Director-General, DG Energy regarding level of access to ACER.
XV. Letter from Ardboe Coldstore inviting the Chair to visit its facilities.
Agreed: To advise that, given the Committee’s current workload, it will not be possible to schedule a visit in the near future and to suggest either a written briefing or an informal meeting with the Chair/Deputy Chair.
XVI. Email from the Sustainable Development Commission regarding its Sustainable Development Implementation Plan.
XVII. Invitation from the Engineering Policy Group NI (EPGNI) to representatives from the Committee to an event to discuss a business perspective of the draft STEM strategy set out in the consultation “Success through STEM”.
XVIII. Invitation from the Institute of Directors to the Chair to an event to discuss the consultation on the Westminster Green Paper, “Financing a Private Sector Recovery” – by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.
12. Any other business
The Chair advised members that an informal meeting with DETI officials to update new members on the Strategic Energy Framework, the Energy Bill and the Tourism Bill has been provisionally scheduled, and that the Committee Office will contact members for confirmation of attendance.
13. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 23 September at 10.30am, Parliament Buildings, Room 30.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.07pm.
Alban Maginness
Chairperson
Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment
September 2010
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