COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 4 JULY 2001 AT 10.05AM IN
ROOM 144 PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr P Doherty MP (Chairperson)
Mr S Neeson (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr D McClarty
Dr A McDonnell
Ms J Morrice
Dr D O'Hagan
Mr J Wells
In attendance:
Mrs C White (Committee Clerk)
Mr M Anderson (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Miss J Presho (Executive Support)
Mr D Donaldson (Administrative Support)
Mr P Gilleece (Assembly Research)
In attendance for the public session at 10.05am: Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Sir Reg Empey, Mr G McConnell & Mr M Pinkerton, Officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
The meeting opened in public at 10.05am
1. Committee's Report of the Strategy 2010 Inquiry - Public evidence session
1.1. The Minister and officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment gave evidence, in public, to the Committee on the Department's response to the Committee's report on the Strategy 2010 Inquiry. The Minister and officials answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
Ms Morrice left the meeting at 10.58am
Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 11.25am
The meeting went into private session at 12.27pm
Ms Morrice joined the meeting at 12.30pm
The Committee ordered that the Special Report be printed.
2. Minutes of the Last Meeting
Agreed - the minutes of the meeting of 27 June 2001.
Mr Wells left the meeting at 12.30pm
3. Matters Arising
3.1. Review of Northern Ireland Economic Council, Northern Ireland Economic Research Centre and the Provision of Independent Economic Advice and Research.
Agreed - to reply to the questionnaire issued by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM).
3.2. Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland Consultation Document - Revising the Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) on 'Managing Construction for Health and Safety.
Agreed - to reply to HSENI detailing the Committee's comments.
3.3. Viridian plc Profits - The Committee noted the information circulated to members.
4. Developing the Programme For Government (PfG) and the Budget for 2002/03
4.1. The Committee considered the questions posed by the Executive's Position Report on PfG and the Budget for 2002/03, together with information supplied by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Agreed - to respond to OFMDFM on aspects relating to the PfG and to the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the aspects relating to the budget.
Mr Wells rejoined the meeting at 12.49pm
5. Letter from the National Trust Regarding Planning Application at the Giant's Causeway
5.1. Mr Wells declared an interest in this matter as a former employee of the National Trust (NT) and as the former manager of NT's Visitors' Centre at the Giant's Causeway.
5.2. The Committee considered the letter from the National Trust regarding planning permission for the site formerly occupied by the Visitors' Centre at the Giant's Causeway.
Agreed - to write to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment expressing the Committee's concerns about the need to consider this issue more carefully before a decision is taken.
6. Any Other Business
6.1. 'Bonds: A Capital Idea' - The Committee was advised that a discussion paper had been received from Professor Austin Smyth and Jamie Delargy regarding the financing of major infrastructure projects and the utilities.
Agreed - to copy the paper to the Chairpersons of the Committees for the Environment, Finance and Personnel and Regional Development.
The meeting closed at 1.04pm
Pat Doherty MP
Chairperson