COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY,
30 SEPTEMBER 2009
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Jennifer McCann MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA
David McNarry MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
In Attendance:
Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Kathy O’Hanlon (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Karen Jardine (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
David McKee (Clerical Supervisor)
Apologies:
Peter Weir MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Simon Hamilton MLA
Fra McCann MLA
Ian Paisley Jr MLA
Dawn Purvis MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.12 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
Agreed: that the following evidence sessions will be recorded by Hansard and the Official Report published on the website: Public Procurement Practice in Northern Ireland - Evidence from Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS); and, Consultation Report on Construction Contracts Bill - Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) Evidence Session.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 23 September 2009
Agreed: that the minutes be published 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.
Members discussed correspondence from DFP on proposed Ministerial amendments to the Rates (Amendment) Bill 2009, which had been debated and agreed in plenary during Consideration Stage of the Bill on Tuesday 29 September.
Agreed: that DFP is advised of the Committee’s concern that it was not afforded sufficient time to consider the proposed amendments to the Rates (Amendment) Bill prior to Consideration Stage; and, advising that this may have implications for other requests for Bills to progress via the accelerated passage procedure in the future.
4. Public Procurement Practice in Northern Ireland: Evidence from Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply
The Committee took evidence from Dr Glynis Davies, Fellow, CIPS. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 10.51am.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 10.57am.
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 11.08am.
Agreed: that the CIPS representative will provide information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session.
Agreed: that a response will be sought from DFP to a number of the issues raised during the evidence session.
5. Consultation Report on Construction Contracts Bill (DFP Evidence Session)
The Committee took evidence from Robin McKelvey, Construction Initiatives Manager, Central Procurement Directorate (CPD), DFP and Stewart Heaney, Deputy Director, Construction Advisory Division, DFP. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Agreed: that the DFP officials will provide information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session.
6. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered the following proposal from DFP for subordinate legislation: The Presumption of Death Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Agreed: that the Committee was content with the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.
The Committee also considered the following proposal from DFP for subordinate legislation: The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (Amendments) Regulations ( 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: Letter from Minister to Confederation of British Industry (CBI) on Reforming Pensions Practice;
Agreed: that the Committee will write to the CBI noting the Department’s response to the issues raised, and requesting information on what further action, if any, the CBI proposes to take.
- DFP: Letter from Minister to Committee for the Environment on Funding of the Carbon Trust;
Agreed: that the Committee will forward the letter from the Minister to the Committee for the Environment.
- DFP: August 2009-10 Forecast Outturn;
- Committee for OFMDFM: Barroso Report 2008-2009 Priorities for European Engagement;
Agreed: to defer this item until the DFP evidence session on the Departmental Action Plan on the Barosso Report due on 18 November.
- Central Committee Office: Memo on Commissioned Research;
- DFP: Response to Committee query on HRConnect;
- DFP: Monitoring Post Project Evaluations;
Agreed: that this will be copied to the Public Accounts Committee, and also to all other statutory committees encouraging them to continue monitoring the number, and progress of, Post Project Evaluations within the individual departments under their scrutiny.
- DFP: Impact of rating reforms on cost of collection;
- DFP: Proposed amendments to the Rates (Amendment) Bill 2009;
- DFP: Response to query on Civil Registration Bill;
- DFP: Slippage in capital projects against the 2008-09 Investment Delivery Plans; and,
- Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (CETI): Executive Summary of Independent Review of Economic Policy.
Agreed: that the Committee will write to DFP requesting a response to the Review findings and recommendations relevant to the Department; and, requesting an update on the development of the Regional Economic Strategy.
Agreed: that, in view of the cross-cutting nature of this issue, the Committee will write to CETI, in the first instance, to suggest that consideration be given to the procedural options for ensuring co-ordinated scrutiny of this issue by the relevant statutory committees.
8. Committee Work Programme
Members considered the current draft of the Committee work programme until Christmas recess.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.58am.
Agreed: that the current draft of the programme be published on the Assembly website.
Members considered a request from Northern Ireland Manufacturing to make an oral presentation to the Committee on the issue of industrial rates.
Agreed: that the Committee will write to Northern Ireland Manufacturing requesting, in the first instance, a written briefing on the issue of industrial rates.
The Committee noted progress to date on arrangements for the Public Procurement Stakeholder Conference to be held on Wednesday 21 October at the Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim as part of the Committee’s Inquiry into Public Procurement Policy and Practice in Northern Ireland. It was noted that members had provided further suggestions for invitations to the conference, including local economists.
Agreed: that a number of relevant umbrella organisations will be approached to help identify further conference participants, giving due regard to achieving a balance in terms of regional spread, the SME and Social Economy sectors, and the types of procurement.
Agreed: that the Committee will forward a request to DFP for summary information on progress against the key issues raised in the inquiry evidence to date, which can be provided to the conference participants.
Members also discussed a recent Unite Union article on SME access to public contracts in the Republic of Ireland.
Agreed: that the Committee will copy the Unite Union article to CPD and request a response on what account is being taken of the suggested measures to boost local SME involvement in public contracts.
9. Any Other Business
The Chairperson drew attention to the current consultation being undertaken by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) on the Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2009.
Agreed: that the Committee invites NISRA officials to brief members on the consultation.
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 7 October 2009 at 10.00am in Room 152.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.08 pm.