COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Alban Maginness (Chairperson)
Mr Paul Butler (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Paul Frew
Mr Paul Givan
Mr William Irwin
Ms Jennifer McCann
Dr Alasdair McDonnell
Mr Gerry McHugh
Ms Claire McGill
Mr Sean Neeson

In Attendance:
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Sohui Yim (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Tara McKee (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Michelle McDowell (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Mr Leslie Cree

The meeting began at 10.35am in public session.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

William Irwin joined the meeting at 10.36am.

2. Minutes of meeting held on the 30 September 2010

Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on the 30 September were agreed.

3. Matters arising from meeting on 30 September 2010

Members discussed a response from the Department regarding broadband coverage in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: To clarify matters relating to the subsidy provided for satellite broadband users, specifically what is meant by the subsidy, who provides the subsidy, the nature of the subsidy, and to whom it applies.

Members noted a briefing paper from the Department regarding tourism assistance for West Belfast.

Members noted a letter from the Finance and Personnel Committee giving its consent to share papers from the concurrent meeting on banks with DETI.

Members discussed a letter from the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee to the Chairperson regarding NI electrical standards.

Gerry McHugh joined the meeting at 10.46am.

Agreed: To forward the information received to the member of the public that originally raised the enquiry.

Agreed: To forward the information to the Department and ask that it responds to the original enquirer and copy this Committee on the response.

Members noted an update from the Finance and Personnel Committee regarding the INTERREG IVA programme.

Members were advised that the Consideration Stage of the Unsolicited Services (Trade and Business Directories) Bill is scheduled for 11 October.

Members discussed the possibility of a take note debate in Plenary on the Strategic Energy Framework.

Agreed: Committee Office to ascertain suitable dates for a debate from the Business Office.

Agreed: To consider a draft motion at next week’s meeting.

4. Legislative Consent Motion – Terrorist Asset-Freezing Bill: Oral briefing

Departmental officials joined the meeting at 10.50am.

Members received an oral briefing from Cathal McLaughlin, Principal, Company Law Branch and Paul Bingham, Staff Officer, Credit Union Team. Key issues discussed included the implications for credit union legislation in Northern Ireland as a result of the legislative consent motion and the indicative timings for credit union legislation reform in Northern Ireland.

Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 10.55am.
Paul Givan joined the meeting at 11.01am.

Agreed: To support the legislative consent motion.

Departmental officials left the meeting at 11.05am.

5. Tourism (Amendment) Bill: Preliminary view

Members discussed the Tourism (Amendment) Bill.

John Simms from DETI’s Tourism Policy Branch joined the meeting at 11.14am to answer members’ questions.

Members went through each clause of the Bill and posed questions to the Departmental official regarding the Bill.

Paul Frew left the meeting at 11.20am.
William Irwin left the meeting at 11.25am.
Jennifer McCann left the meeting at 11.27am.

Agreed: Content with the clauses in the Bill.

Agreed: To commence the formal clause-by-clause scrutiny of the Bill at next week’s meeting.

John Simms left the meeting at 11.34am.

6. Renewable Energy Inquiry – Research Paper: Research briefing from Assembly Research

Sean Neeson left the meeting at 11.33am.

The Assembly Research Officer joined the meeting at 11.35.

Members received a research briefing from the Assembly Research Officer. Key issues included Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) and Feed-in Tariffs (FITs).

William Irwin rejoined the meeting at 11.45am.
Paul Frew rejoined the meeting 11.48am.
Paul Givan left the meeting at 12.06pm.

The Assembly Research Officer left the meeting at 12.07pm.

Agreed: Committee Office to organise an informal meeting for members and Departmental officials regarding the Strategic Energy Framework.

Agreed: To receive the organisational structure of the DETI Energy Branch in advance of the meeting.

Paul Frew left the meeting at 12.08pm.