COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2002 AT 10.58AM IN
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr P Doherty MP (Chairperson)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr W Clyde
Mr D McClarty
Dr A McDonnell
Ms J Morrice
Mr J Wells
Apologies:
Mr S Neeson (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs A Courtney Dr D O'Hagan
In attendance:
Mrs C White (Committee Clerk)
Mr M Anderson (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr R Anderson (Clerical Supervisor)
Miss A Fowler (Clerical Officer)
Dr P Gilleece (Assembly Research)
In attendance for the public evidence session at 11.37am: Mr W Hamilton, Mr G McConnell and Mr T Coyne (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI)).
In attendance for the public evidence session at 12.30pm: Mr M Bohill (DETI) and Mr D Barr (Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI)).
The meeting opened in public at 10.58am.
1. Minutes of the last Meeting
Agreed - the minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2002.
Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.02am.
2. Departmental Draft Service Delivery Agreement
2.1. The Committee considered the draft Service Delivery Agreement (SDA).
Mr Clyde joined the meeting at 11.22am.
2.2. Departmental officials answered questions from the Members.
Mr Wells left the meeting at 11.47am.
Ms Morrice left the meeting at 12.20pm.
Agreed - to write to the Department with the questions Members did not have time to ask.
3. Statutory Rule SR2001 No. 422 - Biocidal Products Regulations
3.1. Officials from DETI and HSENI gave a short presentation to the Committee detailing the Department's response to the report made by the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
Mr Wells rejoined the meeting at 12.37pm.
Agreed - to approve the Rule as laid.
4. Statutory Rule SR2001 No. 436 - Radiation (Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations
4.1. Agreed - to approve the Rule as laid.
5. Matters Arising
5.1. HSENI Draft Corporate Plan
Agreed - to defer consideration to a future meeting.
5.2. Visit to HSENI Offices
Agreed - to arrange a visit to the HSENI offices for 27 February 2002 at 1.15pm.
5.3. Visit to IRTU and InterTradeIreland on 20 February - the Committee Clerk updated the Committee on arrangements. Members confirmed their attendance and mode of transport.
Agreed - that Committee Office staff and the appropriate Assembly Researcher should also attend these visits.
5.4. Specialist Adviser for the Tourism Inquiry - the Committee Clerk advised the Committee that appropriate advertisements had been placed in the NI Travel News and Travel Extra.
Agreed - that another advertisement be placed on the website e-tid.com at a cost of £75 plus VAT.
Mr Armstrong left the meeting at 12.54pm.
Agreed - to extend the closing date for written submissions to 8 March 2002.
5.5. Banking Ombudsman for Northern Ireland - the Committee Clerk advised that this is a 'reserved' matter under the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
Agreed - to write to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment regarding this issue.
6. Any Other Business
6.1. Launch of the Creativity Seed Fund - the Committee Clerk advised that an invitation to this event on 13 February had been received.
Agreed - to send apologies as the launch coincided with a Committee meeting.
6.2. Letter from Airtricity - the Committee Clerk read a letter which had been received from Airtricity regarding the sale of renewable electricity in Northern Ireland.
Agreed - to write to both Airtricity and the Office of the Regulator for Electricity and Gas (OFREG) seeking further clarification.
6.3. Fuel Poverty - the Committee Clerk advised that Dr Gilleece, Assembly Research, had been invited to two events being organised to discuss fuel poverty.
Agreed - to send Dr Gilleece to these events on behalf of the Committee.
7. OFREG Consultation Document - NIE Transmission and Distribution Price Control
6.4. Agreed - to hold a meeting on Tuesday 15 February at 2pm to discuss this issue in detail.
8. Date of next meeting
8.1. The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Tuesday 15 February 2002 at 2pm in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting closed at 1.04pm.
Mr Pat Doherty MP MLA
Chairperson