COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
Minutes of Proceedings
WEDNESDAY, 09 January 2008
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
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)
Paula Sandford (Clerical Supervisor)
Apologies:
Fra McCann MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.08 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings 12 December 2007
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 10. 08 am.
Ms Purvis joined the meeting at 10.09 am.
Mr Hamilton joined the meeting at 10.09 am.
3. Matters Arising
Members noted the following:
- outstanding requests for information from Department for Finance and Personnel (DFP); and
- further information from DFP on Civil Service headcount figures.
Agreed: that further clarification will be sought from DFP on the information which it had provided on Civil Service headcount figures.
4. DFP Briefing on Implications for Northern Ireland from the Varney Report
The Committee received a briefing from Michael Brennan, Head of Strategic Policy Division, Finance Director; and Peter Jakobsen, Strategic Policy Division, DFP on the implications for Northern Ireland from the recent review of tax policy by Sir David Varney.
Agreed: that a written brief will be requested from DFP on the additional work to be carried out by Sir David Varney and on related issues.
5. Briefing on the Annual Report of the Registrar General
The Committee received a briefing from Dr Norman Caven, Registrar General; and Robert Beatty, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency on the Annual Report of the Registrar General.
Mr McQuillan joined the meeting at 10.19 am.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 12.00 pm.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 12.00 pm.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 12.03 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 12.05pm.
Ms McCann left the meeting at 12.18 pm.
Mr McQuillan left the meeting at 12.30 pm.
Agreed: that the Committee will forward follow up issues to DFP for a written response.
6. Correspondence
Members noted the following correspondence:
- Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (Amendment No. 3) Scheme (NI) 2007;
- Civil Service Compensation Scheme (Amendment No. 2) Scheme (NI) 2007 and letter dated 13 December 2007;
- Letter from Minister of Finance and Personnel to Chairperson regarding delay in the publication of the Economic Research Institute Northern Ireland Review of Rate Relief for Small Businesses in NI;
- Confederation of Business Industry response to the Draft Programme for Government 2008-11, Draft Budget 2008-11 and Draft Investment Strategy 2008-2018;
- Letter from Energy Saving Trust regarding Energy Saving Trust Green Homes Service;
- Letter from Committee for the Environment regarding a request for a briefing from DFP;
- Letter from Queens’s University to the Deputy Chairperson regarding Student Welfare;
- Letter from Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development regarding Agriculture and Rural Development Budget – Forkhill;
- Letter from the Consumer Council regarding Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill;
- Letter from Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment regarding Firmus Energy;
- Letter from DFP regarding The Supply of Information (Register of Deaths) ( Northern Ireland) Regulations 2007;
- Submission from Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure on Draft Budget;
- Letter from Portstewart Vision regarding the increasing isolation experienced by the elderly in Portstewart and Portballintrae;
- Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme ( Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Scheme ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
Agreed: that the Committee considered the above and had no concerns.
- Response from DFP regarding Workplace 2010 developments.
Agreed: that further information will be requested from the Department regarding the legal settlement of Workplace 2010.
7. Committee Work Programme
Members considered the updated Committee work programme until Easter recess.
Agreed: that the visit to Clare House will be postponed until 30 January 2007.
Agreed: that the revised work programme will be published on the Assembly website.
8. Any Other Business
Members noted the recently issued DFP consultation paper titled ‘Review of Domestic Rating: Lone Pensioner Allowance’. A statutory rule to implement this reform will come before the Committee before April 2008.
Agreed: that the Committee will consider the issues raised in the consultation when the SL1 is received.
9. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 16 January 2008 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at12.50 pm.