COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 18 NOVEMBER 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Alban Maginness (Chairperson)
Mr Leslie Cree
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 Alison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)
Ms Michelle McDowell (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Paul Butler (Deputy Chairperson)
The meeting began at 10.35am in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of meeting held on the 11 November 2010
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on the 11 November were agreed.
3. Matters arising from meeting on 11 November 2010
Members discussed the Utility Regulator’s consultation on Firmus Energy’s exclusivity licence in the ten towns area.
Agreed: To receive an oral briefing on the issue from the Utility Regulator at next week’s meeting.
Members noted a letter from the Employment and Learning Minister regarding the final report from the Quinn Insurance Coordinator, Mr Leslie Ross.
Members discussed a press article in relation to the Presbyterian Mutual Society’s Directors.
Paul Givan joined the meeting at 10.40am.
Members noted a response from NITB relating to NITB’s attendance at the City of Culture Conference.
Members discussed oral evidence sessions of the renewable energy inquiry.
Agreed: To defer the Department’s oral evidence session to the meeting of 2 December.
Agreed: To start next week’s meeting in closed session to allow members to discuss the evidence received thus far.
William Irwin joined the meeting at 10.45am.
Members noted that the consideration stage for the Tourism (Amendment) Bill is scheduled for Tuesday, 23 November and that no amendments have been tabled.
4. Renewable Energy Inquiry - Oral evidence from Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE)
NIE officials joined the meeting at 10.46am.
Dr Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.01am.
Jennifer McCann left the meeting at 11.05am.
Members received an oral briefing from Billy Graham, Chief Operating Officer, NIE, David de Casseres, Director, Transmission Projects and Bronagh Lunney, Generation Connections Manager. Key issues discussed included grid connections costs, the planning process required for connections and renewable energy installations and the investment required in the grid infrastructure.
NIE officials left the meeting at 11.43am.
Paul Givan left the meeting at 11.43am.
5. Renewable Energy Inquiry - Oral evidence from NI Manufacturing (NIM)
NIM officials joined the meeting at 11.45am.
Sean Neeson left the meeting at 12.10pm.
Members received an oral briefing from Richard Hogg, Managing Director, Limavady Gear Co., Joe Donaldson, Managing Director, Environmental Fabrications and Bryan Gray, Chief Executive, NI Manufacturing. Key issues discussed included incentives for renewable energy, possibilities for attracting foreign-direct investment in relation to renewable energy and barriers to growth in the SME sector in relation to renewable energy.
Agreed:To commission Assembly Research on the local/national government structures in those countries that lead on renewable energy development and use.
Paul Frew left the meeting 12.27pm.
Officials left the meeting at 12.27pm.
The Committee agreed to consider agenda item 7 next.
6. Energy Bill: Final report
The Committee formally scrutinised each appendix of the final Bill report.
Agreed:That the following papers should be appended to the Committee’s report:
Minutes of proceedings
Minutes of evidence (Hansards)
Written submissions
Memoranda and papers from DETI
The Assembly Research Papers
List of witnesses
Agreed: Content that the draft Hansard from the 4 November meeting be included in the report as the final version.
Agreed: Chair to approve an extract from today’s minutes which reflect the read-through of the Report.
Agreed: To lay to report in its entirety in the Assembly Business Office after today’s meeting.
Agreed: To order 50 reports with a CD ROM and 30 full reports for printing.
7. Half year performance and TRANSFORM update: Oral briefing from Invest NI
Alastair Hamilton joined the meeting at 12.30pm.
Members received an oral briefing from Alastair Hamilton, CEO, Invest NI. Key issue discussed included Invest NI’s performance to date on its three-year targets, new policy implementations in relation to clients and budgetary constraints.
Jennifer McCann rejoined the meeting at 12.36pm.
Paul Frew rejoined the meeting at 12.41pm.
Paul Givan rejoined the meeting at 12.50pm.
William Irwin left the meeting at 1.05pm.
Alastair Hamilton left the meeting at 1.25pm.
8. Correspondence
Members noted the following items of correspondence:
I. DETI’s list of current evaluations.
II. Memo from Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee regarding funding for local tourism events.
Agreed: To forward the memo to the Department for comment.
III. Email regarding NI Electrical Standards and Lobbying Group’s request for a meeting with the Chair.
IV. Invitation to members to the Launch of the NI Food and Drink Association Manifesto on Wednesday, 1 December.
Agreed: Members to contact the Committee Office if they wish to attend.
9. Any other business
There were no other items of business.
10. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 25 November at 10.30am, Parliament Buildings, Room 30.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.26pm.
Alban Maginness
Chairperson
Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment
November 2010
11 November 10 / Menu
