COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

WEDNESDAY, 27 JUNE 2007
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Roy Beggs MLA
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Simon Hamilton MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Dawn Purvis MLA
Peter Weir MLA

In Attendance:
Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Colin Jones (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Paul Woods (Clerical Supervisor)
Mary Thompson (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Fra McCann MLA
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA

The meeting commenced at 10.01am in open session. Mr Storey took the Chair.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings 20 June 2007

Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.

3. Matters Arising

Agreed: that the Committee’s deliberations on the Varney Review and its consideration of the first draft of its report on Workplace 2010 and Public Sector Jobs Location would be held in closed session.

Mr McQuillan joined the meeting at 10.04am.

Agreed: that members would take the opportunity later in the meeting to question Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) officials on the outcome of the June Monitoring Round.

Members noted the information requested from DFP arising from the last meeting.

Members considered a draft response to the Minister on the domestic rating review together with an informal request from DFP officials for a copy of the Assembly Research paper on the longer-term options in the review.

Agreed: that the response should be issued as amended and that a copy of the research paper should be included.

4. DFP Briefing on the Administration of Estates Intestacy and the Statutory Legacy

The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister relating to his Department’s consultation on the statutory legacy payable from the estate of a person dying intestate. The Minister was seeking the Committee’s views prior to bringing firm recommendations to the Executive later in the year.

Members noted a further response to the consultation from the Law Society.

The Committee was briefed by Neil Lambe, Principal Legal Officer, Departmental Solicitors Office.

Dr Farry joined the meeting at 10.55am.

Following the briefing, the Committee agreed the outline of a draft response to the Minister.

Agreed: that a response will be drafted for consideration at the next meeting and that the current position in relation to a similar consultation taking place in England and Wales will be sought from DFP.

5. DFP Briefing on the Outcome of the June Monitoring Round

The Committee was briefed by the following DFP officials on the outcome of the June Monitoring Round: Leo O’Reilly, Budget Director, Central Finance Group; and Richard Pengelly, Head of Central Expenditure Division.

The meeting continued in closed session at 11.20am.

6. DFP Briefing on their Approach to the Varney Review

Members were briefed by the following DFP officials on the development of the Executive’s submission to the Varney Review: Leo O’Reilly, Budget Director, Central Finance Group; Michael Brennan, Head of Strategic Policy Division; and Peter Jakobsen, Strategic Policy Division.

7. Committee for Finance and Personnel Submission to the Varney Review

Members noted a paper submitted to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment by Mike Smyth and a response by Professor Richard Harris to HM Treasury in relation to queries which Treasury had raised regarding his research on the use of tax credits in Northern Ireland. It was also noted that the Education Committee would not be making a submission to the Varney Review.

Members considered a working draft of the Committee’s submission to the Varney Review and agreed on further issues for inclusion in the final draft. It was noted that the draft would be updated to reflect the briefing from DFP officials.

Agreed: that a final draft submission will be prepared for consideration at the next meeting.

8. Committee for Finance and Personnel Report on Workplace 2010 and Public Sector Jobs Location

Members noted the information requested from DFP on the number of civil servants currently located in individual government buildings and on the potential for local firms to become involved in work emanating from the implementation of Workplace 2010.

Agreed: to request further information from DFP on the current staff capacity of individual government buildings; how individual buildings had been categorised and whether this categorisation would be used to measure any subsequent dispersal.

It was also noted that the up-to-date specification of requirements, requested by the Committee would not be available for four weeks but, in the interim, DFP had provided the Invitation to Tender which was available to members in the Committee office.

Members noted responses from the following organisations:

- Office of Government Commerce;
- National Audit Office;
- Northern Ireland Court Service; and
- Northern Ireland Audit Office.

Members considered the first draft of the Committee’s Report.

The Chairperson suspended the meeting at 12.25pm.

The meeting resumed at 12.28pm in closed session.

Agreed: that the current draft will be issued electronically to all members following the meeting and that any proposed amendments will be sent to the Clerk by 10.00am on Monday 2 July to allow these to be circulated in advance of the next meeting.

Agreed: that the current draft will be updated to reflect the Committee’s considerations and that the second draft will be included in members packs for the next meeting.

The Committee considered a draft letter to the Minister notifying him of the Committee’s forthcoming Report and asking that he consider it before putting papers to the Executive in late July on the issues of Workplace 2010 and the location of public sector jobs.

Agreed: that the letter should be issued to the Minister as drafted.

The meeting continued in open session at 12.50pm.

9. Correspondence to Note

Members noted the following correspondence:

- CBI Report – Building on Success, Way Forward for PFI;

- from the Chairperson, Committee for OFMDFM on the emerging priorities for the Executive’s Programme for Government 2008 – 11; and

- from DFP on the future revaluation of non-domestic property.

10. Any Other Business

Members considered the current draft of the Committee’s work programme and noted that the DFP Minister will attend next week’s Committee meeting to discuss his priorities for the Department.

Agreed: that the current draft of the committee work programme will be published on the website.

Agreed: that the proposed visit to Clare House will be postponed until after summer recess.

11. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 4 July 2007 at 10.00am in Room 152 Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.55pm.

Mervyn Storey, Deputy Chairperson,
Committee for Finance and Personnel.
4 July 2007.

20 June 2007 / Menu