COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY,
18 March 2009
Room 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
Simon Hamilton MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Fra McCann MLA
David McNarry MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Peter Weir MLA
In Attendance:
Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
David McKee (Clerical Supervisor)
Heather Galbraith (Clerical Officer)
Chris McCreery (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
Ian Paisley Jnr MLA
Dawn Purvis MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.10 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
Agreed: that the evidence from Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) officials on the Department’s draft Operational Plan for 2009-10 and on the lessons learned from legal challenges to public procurement exercises will be recorded by Hansard and the finalised transcripts published on the website.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 11 March 2009
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
3. Matters Arising
The Committee noted the outstanding requests for information from DFP.
Members considered a draft letter to the Minister in relation to strategic economic issues.
Agreed:that the letter will be forwarded to the Minister of Finance and Personnel and copied to the Chairperson of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (COFMDFM) for information.
4. Draft DFP Operational Plan for 2009-10: Evidence from DFP
The DFP officials had not provided the Committee with copies of the draft DFP Operational Plan 2009-10 in time to be included in members’ papers for the meeting. As members had not had the opportunity to fully consider the draft Operational Plan in advance of the evidence session, they discussed options on how to proceed with the scrutiny of this important area of work.
Agreed:that today’s evidence session with DFP officials on the draft DFP Operational Plan 2009-10 will be postponed until next week to provide members with sufficient time to consider the draft Plan. The Committee wished to record its dissatisfaction with the DFP officials for not providing their paper in reasonable time.
5. Lessons Learned from Legal Challenges to Public Procurement Exercises: Evidence from DFP
The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Des Armstrong, Director, Central Procurement Directorate; Brian Doherty, Deputy Head, Departmental Solicitors Office and Brendan O'Neill, Policy Advisor, Central Procurement Directorate. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.07 am.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 11.15 am.
Mr McCann left the meeting at 11.37 am.
Mr McCann returned to the meeting at 11.39 am.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.40 am.
Mr Weir joined the meeting at 11.52 am.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.52 am.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 11.59 am.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 12.00 pm.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 12.00 pm.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 12.02 pm.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.06 pm.
Mr O’Loan returned to the meeting at 12.07 pm.
Agreed:that the DFP officials will provide further information to the Committee as requested during the briefing session.
6. Civil Registration Bill Committee Stage – Consideration of the Draft Report
Members considered a second draft of the Committee’s report on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis, as follows:
Agreed: that paragraphs 1-9 stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 10-14 stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 15-18 stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 19-21 stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 22-23 stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 24-26 stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 27-28 stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 29-33 stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 34-38 stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that the draft Executive Summary stands part of the report.
Agreed: that the appendices stand part of the Report.
Agreed: that the Report be the Fourth Report of the Committee for Finance and Personnel to the Assembly for session 2008/09.
Agreed: that the Report be printed.
Members noted that a typescript copy of the Report will issue to DFP by the end of the week, in line with normal protocol. The Report will be published next week and copies issued to all MLAs.
Agreed: that the relevant extract from the draft minutes of today’s proceedings will be checked by the Chairperson and included in the Committee’s Report as ‘unapproved’ minutes of proceedings.
7. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered the Statutory Rule 2009 No.71: The Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009, which had been laid in the Business Office by DFP. Members noted that the Committee had previously considered the draft proposal for this Statutory Rule on 25 February 2009 and was content with the policy implications of the proposed legislation.
The Committee noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules had considered the Statutory Rule and had raised no issues from his technical scrutiny.
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly.
Agreed: that further clarification will be sought from the Department on issues in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics ( Northern Ireland) 2009, which does not form part of the legislation.
The Committee also considered a proposal for subordinate legislation from DFP in relation to the Superannuation (Health and Social Care Bodies) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Agreed: that the Committee was content with the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.
8. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence:
- DFP: Response to COFMDFM on the clawback of European grants;
Agreed: that the response will be forwarded to COFMDFM as requested. It was also agreed that further details will be sought from the Department on the amounts published by the European Commission late last year which remain under discussion and which are expected to be significantly reduced;
Mr Weir left the meeting at 12.34 pm.
- DFP: Response on Baseline Reviews;
Agreed: that DFP’s Central Finance Group will be asked to set a timetable and targets for the reviews of departmental expenditure baselines and that a copy of the Central Finance Group business plan 2009-10 will be obtained.
- DFP: Response to issues arising from the HRConnect evidence session held on 25 February 2009;
Agreed: that clarification will be sought from the Department on whether the number of cases outstanding each month has increased and on what action is being taken by the Department to address this issue;
- COFMDFM: Response on the proposed scrutiny of the Financing of Strategic Investment ;
- Committee for Employment and Learning (CEL): Work-shadowing placements during Disability Week;
Agreed : that the Committee will write to CEL in support of the proposal for members to host disabled young persons on work-shadowing placements during Disability Week in June;
- Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (CETI): Letter to DFP Minister regarding the payment of department invoices ;
Agreed: that the correspondence will be forwarded to the Minister of Finance and Personnel as requested.
9. Committee Work Programme
Members considered the current draft of the Committee work programme until summer recess.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 12.37 pm.
Members were advised of a DFP request for the briefing on the Department’s response to the Committee’s submission to the Review of the Executive’s Budget Process to be delayed again from 1 April to 29 April 2009.
Agreed: that the Clerk will pursue this issue with the Departmental Assembly Liaison Officer and report back to the Committee next week.
Agreed: that the current draft of the programme will be published on the Assembly website.
10. Any Other Business
Mr McNarry proposed that the Committee should consider examining the ongoing issue regarding the Presbyterian Mutual Society, in the context of the broad financial remit of DFP. Members noted that CETI has already undertaken investigations into this area.
Agreed: that the Clerk will liaise with the Clerk to CETI to establish: the parameters for departmental responsibility in this area, the extent to which CETI has considered the issue or has plans in this regard, and whether there is any potential role for the Committee for Finance and Personnel, which would not encroach on the remit of CETI.
11. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 25 March 2009 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.52 pm.