COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
Minutes of Proceedings
Wednesday,
25
February 2009
Room 152, Parliament Buildings
Present: Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
Simon Hamilton MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
David McNarry MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Ian Paisley Jnr MLA
Peter Weir MLA
In Attendance: Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Colin Jones (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Paula Sandford (Clerical Supervisor)
Chris McCreery (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Fra McCann MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Dawn Purvis MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.10 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 18 February 2009
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
Agreed : that the evidence from Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) officials on the evaluation of Workplace 2010 options and on the HRConnect services will be covered by Hansard and the finalised transcripts published on the website.
3. Matters Arising
The Committee noted the outstanding requests for information from DFP.
Members were reminded of the Treasury Select Committee visit on 2 March 2009, in connection with its inquiry into The Banking Crisis. Members noted an invite to a working lunch with members of the Treasury Committee.
Members considered a draft response to the Committee on Procedures Inquiry into Legislative Consent.
Agreed : that the Committee’s response will be forwarded to the Committee on Procedures.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 10.14 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 10.16 am.
4. Evaluation of Workplace 2010 Options: Evidence from DFP
The Committee was briefed by the following DFP officials: Leo O'Reilly, Permanent Secretary; Philip Irwin, Head of Properties Division and Michael Donnelly, Strategic Advisor, Workplace 2010 Programme. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 10.46 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 10.49 am.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 10.59 am.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 11.06 am.
Ms McCann left the meeting at 11.08 am.
Ms McCann returned to the meeting at 11.09 am.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 11.29 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 11.31 am.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.37 am.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 11.49 am.
Agreed: that the DFP officials will provide further information to the Committee as requested during the briefing session. It was also agreed that the DFP officials will confirm if the Hansard record of the closed session on Workplace 2010 on 18 June 2008 is no longer commercially sensitive, as the Committee will wish to consider publishing the finalised transcript on the website in line with normal practice.
5. HRConnect Services: Evidence from DFP
The Committee was briefed by the following DFP officials: Derek Baker, Director, Central Personnel Group; Tommy O'Reilly, Programme Director, HRConnect and Patricia Corbett, Service Director, HRConnect. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.57 am.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 12.06 pm.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 12.09 pm.
Mr Paisley Jnr joined the meeting at 12.15 pm.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 12.16 pm.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.17 pm.
Mr O’Loan returned to the meeting at 12.20 pm.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 12.20 pm.
Dr Farry left the meeting at 12.22 pm.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 12.29 pm.
Dr Farry returned to the meeting at 12.36 pm.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 12.45 pm.
Mr Paisley Jnr left the meeting at 12.48 pm.
Agreed: that the Committee will wish to continue to monitor closely the HRConnect project and, in this regard, the DFP officials will provide further information to the Committee as requested during the briefing session. In addition, it was agreed to make recommendations to DFP on how HRConnect services should be taken forward, based on the evidence received. These would include a possible role for the Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit in the immediate term and a “health check” review in the medium term, which would examine the issues arising from end-user experience. It was also agreed that the Public Accounts Committee and the Northern Ireland Audit Office will also be kept informed of this matter. In addition, the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance would be offered the opportunity to respond in writing to the evidence presented by DFP.
6. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered a proposal for subordinate legislation from DFP in relation to Pre-Release Access to Official Statistics Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Agreed : that the Committee was content with the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.
7. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence:
- DFP: Response to Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety (CHSSPS) Inquiry into Obesity;
Agreed: that the correspondence will be forwarded to CHSSPS as requested;
- Committee on the Administration of Justice: Submission on the Inquiry into Public Procurement Policy and Practice in Northern Ireland;
- DFP: Interim response on financial matters relating to the Devolution of Policing and Justice;
Agreed: that the interim response will be copied to the Assembly and Executive Review Committee for information;
- DFP: Notification of Consultation on the Initial Integrated Impact Assessment on the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme;
Agreed: that a briefing from the Department will be sought on the outcome of the consultation;
- Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (OFMDFM): Equality Commission Report;
- COFMDFM: Industrial Staff Sickness Levels in the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS);
Agreed: that the correspondence will be forwarded to the Minister of Finance and Personnel as requested;
- DFP: February Monitoring Round follow up information to 4 February briefing;
- DFP: Response on exclusion of GCSE results from NICS recruitment;
Agreed: to request from DFP the results of the analysis of the competitions from the pilot exercise to waive GCSE requirements;
- Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure: Safety at Sports Grounds;
Agreed: that the correspondence will be forwarded to the Minister of Finance and Personnel as requested;
- DFP: Northern Ireland Data Protection Review Second Assessment;
Agreed: that a more detailed explanation for the delay in the publication of the second report will be requested from DFP;
- British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA): The Integration of recently arrived migrants to Northern Ireland, Ireland and Wales;
Agreed: that DFP’s position will be sought on the recommendations relevant to its remit in the BIPA Committee Report;
- DFP: Response to Committee on issues relating to Quarry Products Association NI proposal for roads maintenance network;
- COFMDFM: Potential Clawback of European Grants;
Agreed: that the correspondence will be forwarded to the Minister of Finance and Personnel as requested;
- Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure: Notice of DFP officials attending Committee meeting;
- Committee for Regional Development: Further information regarding Infrastructure for Spatial Information.
8. Committee Work Programme
Members considered the current draft of the Committee work programme until summer recess.
Members were advised that external research may be commissioned or contracted out by Assembly Research and Library Services (R&LS) on behalf of committees. Members discussed potential areas to submit bids for external research, including in relation to the Committee’s ongoing inquiry into public procurement and regarding its scrutiny of the Senior Civil Service pay system.
Agreed : that the Secretariat, in conjunction with R&LS, will draft bids on the potential areas identified for external research, for the Committee’s consideration at its meeting on 11 March.
Agreed : that the current draft of the programme will be published on the Assembly website.
9. Any Other Business
Members noted the following:
- Belfast Telegraph press article, dated 23 February, titled Economic challenges;
- Belfast Telegraph press article, dated 24 February, titled Thousands could go in cull of civil service jobs;
- Newsletter press article, dated 24 February, titled Gear up for public sector procurement; and
- bmf Business Services: Invitation to attend a dinner as part of the Infrastructure Ireland 2009 Conference on Wednesday 11 March.
Members discussed the possibilities for a briefing from the Strategic Investment Board and DFP on financing capital investment.
Agreed : that this issue will be discussed at next week’s meeting.
Members were informed that Paula Sandford, Clerical Supervisor to the Committee will be leaving to go back to the Department of Education on Monday 2 March. On behalf of the Committee, the Chairperson thanked Mrs Sandford for her valuable contribution to the work of the Secretariat team and wished her all the best for the future.
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 4 March 2009 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.00 pm.