COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 14 APRIL 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Ms Jennifer McCann MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin MLA
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Ms Dawn Purvis MLA

In Attendance: Mr Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Miss Karen Jardine (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Kathy O’Hanlon (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr David McKee (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Dominic O’Farrell (Clerical Officer)

Apologies: Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Mr Adrian McQuillan MLA

The meeting commenced at 10.12am in open session.

1. Apologies

Apologies as detailed above.

The Committee noted that Mr McNarry had replaced Mr Weir as Deputy Chairperson with effect from 12 April 2010. Members congratulated Mr McNarry on his appointment as Deputy Chairperson and also acknowledged with thanks the work carried out by Mr Weir as Deputy Chairperson. Members wished Mr Weir well in his new position as the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Employment and Learning. Members also noted that Mr Jonathan Craig has replaced Mr Weir on the Committee.

Agreed: that the evidence sessions with DFP officials at agenda items 4, 5 and 6 are recorded by Hansard and the Official Reports published on the website.

2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 24 March 2010

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.

Review of Senior Civil Service Pay

Members noted the response from the Minister of Finance and Personnel to its correspondence on the arrangements for the proposed Review of Senior Civil Service Pay. The Committee also considered a draft submission to the Review of Senior Civil Service Pay.

Agreed: to seek clarification from DFP on whether the Review of Senior Civil Service Pay will also consider the pay arrangements for the post of Head of the Civil Service; and to reiterate the Committee’s concerns around the risk of the exercise being perceived as lacking independence.

Agreed: that the Committee submission to the Review of Senior Civil Service Pay is forwarded to the Office of Manpower Economics.

NI Water

Agreed: to copy Committee correspondence on procurement governance in NI Water to the NI Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee for information.

Motions for plenary debate

The Committee considered a request from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (CETI) to co-sponsor two motions for plenary debate, the first on recent report on corporation tax by the Economic Reform Group NI and the second on delays to the implementation of the INTERREG IVA Programme.

Agreed: to co-sponsor the plenary motions and continue discussions with CETI about joint working on these issues.

4. Land and Property Services (LPS) – Update on Progress (DFP Briefing)

The Committee took evidence on progress of the implementation of the recommendations arising from the Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit (PEDU) review of LPS from the following LPS officials: John Wilkinson, Chief Executive; Tommy O’Reilly, Director of Transformation; and Stephen Boyd; Finance and Corporate Services.

The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.

Mr Hamilton joined the meeting at 10.30am.

Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 10.33am.

Dr Farry joined the meeting at 10.35am.

Mr O’Loan returned to the meeting at 10.38am.

Mr McNarry left the meeting at 10.48am.

Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 10.55am.

Agreed: that the witnesses will provide further information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session.

Agreed: to seek information on the number of external advisors employed by Departments and details of Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) policy in this regard.

5. Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit (DFP Briefing)

The Committee took evidence on the PEDU from the following DFP Officials: Richard Pengelly, Public Spending Director, Central Finance Group; and Shane Murphy, PEDU.

The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.

Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.10am.

Mr McCann left the meeting at 11.34am.

Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 11.35am.

Mr McCann returned to the meeting at 11.39am.

Agreed: to forward a list of outstanding issues to PEDU for response to inform the Committee’s forthcoming report on Efficiencies and Effectiveness.

Agreed: to write to each Statutory Committee to ask if their Department has considered employing the services of PEDU and if there would be a willingness in this regard; and to copy the correspondence to the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group.

6. Preparations for Census 2011 and Census Order – SL1 (NISRA Briefing)

The Committee received a briefing on the Preparations for Census 2011 and the Census Order – SL1 from the following Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) officials: Dr Norman Caven, Chief Executive; and Robert Beattie, Head of Census.

The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.

Mr McNarry left the meeting at 12.00pm.

Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.20pm.

Mr McCann left the meeting at 12.38pm.

Mr McCann returned to the meeting at 12.43pm.

Agreed: that the witnesses will provide further information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session.

7. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee noted the following proposal from DFP for subordinate legislation: The Census Order (NI) 2010. The Statutory Rule must be laid in the Assembly and is subject to the draft affirmative resolution procedure. Members also noted that the Census Act specifies that the First Minister and deputy First Minister must first direct that a Census shall be taken.

Agreed: that the Committee was content with the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage; and to notify the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister of this decision.

The Committee also noted the following proposal from DFP for subordinate legislation: The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order (NI) 2010.

Agreed: that the Committee was content with the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.

8. Feedback from Report on Public Procurement in NI

Agreed: that this agenda item is deferred until next week’s meeting.

9. Correspondence

The Committee considered the following correspondence:

• DFP: 2010-11 In-Year Monitoring Guidelines

Agreed: that the Committee is content with the suggested guidance; and that the correspondence is forwarded to other statutory committees for information and comment.

• DFP: Letter from Minister on payment of rates by credit card

Agreed: to forward the correspondence to the Consumer Council NI for information.

Agreed: to defer consideration of the remaining correspondence until next week’s meeting.

10. Committee Work Programme

Agreed: to request an oral briefing from DFP officials on the outcome of the Review of Spending Plans 2010-11 following the planned plenary debate on Tuesday 20 April.

Agreed: that the draft work programme, as amended, will be published on the Committee website.

11. Any Other Business

Agreed: to write to the Committee for Justice requesting clarification on the implications of the Equal Pay settlement for those staff that were on the NIO/PSNI payroll but are now part of the Department of Justice.

12. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 21 April 2010 at 10.00 am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.54pm.

Jennifer McCann, Chairperson,
Committee for Finance and Personnel.
21 April 2010