ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Tuesday 13 June 2000
at 2.30pm in
Room 144 Parliament Buildings
1. Chairperson's Business
2. Apologies
3. Responses to Consultation Papers
4. Responses from the Department/others
5. Strategy 2010 Inquiry
6. Any other business
7. Date of Next Meeting
Present: Mr S Neeson
Mr W Clyde
Ms P Lewsley
Ms J Morrice
Dr A McDonnell
Mr D McClarty
Dr D O'Hagan
In attendance: Mrs C White, Mr J Nesbitt,
Mr M Anderson, Miss J Presho
The meeting opened at 2.40 pm
Mr Neeson took the Chair in the absence of Mr Doherty
1.Chairperson's business
It was agreed that the discussion on the Department's budget with the Minister at last week's meeting was particularly useful.
TOP2. Apologies
Apologies were received from Mr Doherty, Mr Attwood, and Mr Campbell.
TOP3. Responses to consultation papers
i. Department's draft equality scheme -
Agreed - to send the draft response on the equality scheme to the Department.
Agreed - to write to the Secretary of State asking why IDB is not designated as a public body. The Committee took the view that IDB should be designated as a public body and should therefore fall within the ambit of the equality schemes.
Agreed - to ask the Department to examine the possibility of family friendly policies within its own structures and also within the companies it deals with.
Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 2.55pm
ii. Equality schemes for NITB, GCC(NI), LEDU, and H&SE(NI) - the Chairperson pointed out that the closing dates for responses had now passed.
Agreed - that, due to time constraints, a general response should be issued, attaching annex 1 of the response to the Department.
Dr McDonnell returned at 3.00pm
iii. Federation of Small Businesses -
Agreed - that a letter should be sent acknowledging the request for comments on the National Minimum Wage and that the organisation should be invited to meet the Committee after the recess.
iv. NI Voluntary Trust outline strategic plan -
Agreed - to defer this issue to next week's meeting to give members more time to prepare draft responses.
TOP4. Responses from the Department/others
Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 3.10pm
i. Company Development Programme -
Agreed - to write to the Department requesting more detailed information on the matter.
Dr McDonnell returned at 3.12pm
ii. Criteria for obtaining IDB grants for the purchase of machinery - the reply from IDB was discussed.
Agreed - that this issue should be raised again when IDB are next invited to meet the Committee.
iii. North Foreshore - the reply from DSD was discussed.
Agreed - to write to the Chairperson of the relevant Committee expressing concerns at the delays in resolving the problems relating to the development of this site.
Mr McClarty left the meeting at 3.28pm
iv. CBI response regarding the information needed by the Monetary Policy Committee to set interest rates -
Agreed - to write to the Chair of the DFP Committee outlining the concerns expressed by CBI.
v. Harland & Wolff -
Agreed - to write to Harland & Wolff pointing out particular areas of concern for the Committee.
vi. NI Hotel Federation -
Agreed - that the Federation should be invited to give a presentation to the Committee after the recess.
TOP5. Strategy 2010 inquiry
The Chairperson reported that nine members of the Strategy 2010 Steering Group were due to attend the public evidence session in the Senate Chamber on 14 June. He advised members of the arrangements for the session in the Senate Chamber.
It was agreed to defer discussion of the future programme of evidence sessions until 14 June. It was also agreed to defer discussion of public evidence sessions for District Councils until next week's meeting.
TOP6. Any other business
It was agreed that the Minister's reply to the Chairperson on the issue of R&D funding should be put on the agenda for next week's meeting. It was further agreed that the request for the Committee's comments on the Regional Development Strategy should also be put on the agenda for next week.
TOP7. Date of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday 14 June 2000 at 10.00am in the Senate Chamber.
The meeting closed at 4.10pm
TOPMr S Neeson
(Deputy Chairperson)