COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY,
1 JULY 2009
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
Simon Hamilton MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Peter Weir MLA
In Attendance:
Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Karen Jardine (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Colin Jones (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
David McKee (Clerical Supervisor)
Chris McCreery (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Fra McCann MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
David McNarry MLA
Ian Paisley Jnr MLA
Dawn Purvis MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.04 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
Agreed : that the evidence session from Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) officials on HRConnect will be recorded by Hansard and the Official Report published on the website.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 24 June 2009
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
3. Matters Arising
The Committee noted the composite request for information from DFP which provided an update on any matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
The Committee noted clarification from DFP on the timing of a Ministerial statement on the provisional outturn for 2008/09 and the outcome of the June 2009 Monitoring Round. Members also noted that, as the Executive had deferred a decision on the outcome of the June 2009 Monitoring Round until its meeting on 2 July 2009, the evidence from DFP officials planned for today on the 2008/09 provisional outturn and the outcome of the June 2009 Monitoring Round had been cancelled. DFP officials had informed the Committee secretariat that they could not brief the Committee on these issues until they had received Executive clearance and the Minister of Finance and Personnel had made a statement.
Mr McQuillan joined the meeting at 10.06 am.
Members noted that DFP officials had informed the Committee secretariat yesterday that the terms of reference for the review of senior civil service pay and bonuses had not yet been cleared by the First Minister and deputy First Minister and, as such, the evidence from DFP officials planned for today had also been cancelled.
Members considered a proposal from the Chairperson to schedule an additional Committee meeting to be briefed by DFP officials on both of these issues.
Agreed: that, subject to the Executive agreeing the outcome of the June 2009 Monitoring Round and the subsequent arrangements for a Ministerial statement, an additional meeting will be held during summer recess on Tuesday 7 July or Wednesday 8 July 2009. The Committee will also request a briefing at this meeting on the terms of reference for the review of senior civil service pay and bonuses and members reiterated the importance of the Committee considering the terms of reference before it is finalised.
Members considered a revised report from DFP on the Department’s performance against Public Service Agreements and targets in its Business Plan for 2008/09, which the Committee had requested following concerns expressed with the accuracy of the original report at last week’s meeting. Members noted a statement from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister informing all Assembly Members that a report on progress against Programme for Government targets in 2008/09 had been placed in the Assembly Library and that the report will be debated in plenary after summer recess.
Agreed: that, given the number of unresolved issues on the Department’s performance against Public Service Agreements and targets in its Business Plan for 2008/09, DFP officials will update the Committee after summer recess, and a briefing on mid-year performance against targets for 2009/10 will also be scheduled in the Committee work programme.
4. Update on HRConnect: Evidence from DFP
The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Derek Baker, Director of Personnel, Central Personnel Group; Patricia Corbett, HRConnect Service Management Director, Central Personnel Group; and Tommy O’Reilly, eHR Programme Director, Central Personnel Group. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Dr Farry left the meeting at 10.28 am.
Agreed: that DFP officials will provide further information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session.
5. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered SR No.241 : the Valuation for Rating (Decapitalisation Rate) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and the accompanying explanatory memorandum, which had been laid in the Business Office by DFP. The Committee noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules had not yet formally reported on the Rule but had considered the Rule and had raised no issues by way of technical scrutiny.
The Committee noted that it had previously considered this proposal on 27 May 2009. Following consideration of further information from DFP on the potential financial implications of the proposed legislation, the Committee had agreed, at its meeting on 10 June 2009 that it was content with the policy implications of the proposal at that stage.
Agreed : that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered SR No.241: the Valuation for Rating (Decapitalisation Rate) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and has no objection to the Rule.
6. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence:
- Housing Rights Service: Policy Briefing Paper on Financial Inclusion and Housing Debt in Northern Ireland;
Agreed : that the Committee will request further information from Assembly Research on the repossession figures in the briefing paper;
- Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (COFMDFM): Request to Central Procurement Directorate on the Capital Works Programme;
Agreed : that the query will be forwarded to DFP as requested;
- Antrim Borough Council: Annual Estimates and Penny Product Calculations;
Agreed : that the Committee will write to Antrim Borough Council detailing the work of the Committee to date on this issue and will request from DFP a copy of the Minister of Finance and Personnel’s response to the Council;
Agreed : that Assembly Research will be asked for a research paper on the penny product process;
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 11 .10 am;
- DFP: Update on the application of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 to the procurement of social housing ;
Agreed : that the correspondence will be included in the Committee Report on its Inquiry on Public Procurement Policy and Practice in Northern Ireland;
- DFP: Update on data security issues;
Agreed : that the Committee will request an oral briefing from DFP officials on this issue after summer recess; together with a copy of the current Cabinet Office review report when it becomes available;
- DFP: Consultation Report on the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme Initial Integrated Impact Assessment ;
- DFP: Response to COFMDFM Report on Child Poverty ;
Agreed : that the response will be copied to COFMDFM;
- Committee for Social Development: Housing (Amendment) Bill ;
Agreed : that the correspondence will be sent to the Minister of Finance and Personnel as requested and that the Committee for Finance and Personnel will ask to be copied into the Minister’s response;
Agreed : that the Committee will not make a submission on the Housing (Amendment) Bill, but will consider any submission made by the Minister of Finance and Personnel;
- DFP: Response to COFMDFM on Children and Young People’s Action Plan 2008-11 ;
Agreed : that the response will be copied to COFMDFM;
- Committee for Employment and Learning: Committee Report on the Way Forward for Apprenticeships ;
Agreed: that the correspondence will be included in the Committee Report on its Inquiry on Public Procurement Policy and Practice in Northern Ireland and forwarded to DFP for comment;
- Federation of Small Businesses (FSB): Automatic Rates Relief ;
Agreed : that the Committee will write to DFP, requesting information on the delay in the introduction of the Rates (Amendment) Bill and that both the request and subsequent response will be copied to the FSB;
- Citizens Advice Bureau: Press Release on benefit uptake ;
- Northern Bank: written submission as requested by the Committee. Members noted that the submission had been classified as ‘commercially sensitive’ and agreed to return it to the Committee secretariat.
Agreed: that representatives from the Northern Bank will be invited to brief the Committee after summer recess.
7. Committee Work Programme
Members considered an initial draft of the Committee work programme for September/October 2009 and noted that work was continuing to organise the procurement stakeholder conference.
Agreed : that the initial draft programme will be published on the Assembly website.
8. Any Other Business
None.
9. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
Pending arrangements for the meeting provisionally scheduled for week commencing 6 July 2009, the next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 9 September 2009 at 10.00am in Room 152.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.22 am.