COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 08 SEPTEMBER 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Ms Jennifer McCann MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin MLA
Mr Adrian McQuillan MLA
Mr Declan O’Loan 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 Fra McCann MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.05 am in open session.
1. Apologies
There was one apology, as detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 30 June 2010
Agreed: that the minutes are published on the Assembly website.
Agreed: that the evidence sessions at Agenda items 4, 5 and 6 are recorded by Hansard and the Official Reports published on the website.
3. Matters Arising
Composite Request
The Committee noted the composite request for information from the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) which provided an update on any matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
DFP: Consultation on Reducing the Landlord Rating Allowance
The Committee noted correspondence from DFP regarding the Consultation on Reducing the Landlord Rating Allowance.
Agreed:to receive a briefing from DFP officials on the outcome of the consultation in November.
Budgetary Issues arising from the session on 30 June 2010
Members noted a response from DFP on matters arising from the Budgetary Issues evidence session on 30 June 2010.
Review of 2008 - 11 Budget Process: Action Plan
The Committee considered the DFP Action Plan, following the Review of the 2008-11 Budget Process, which was agreed by the Executive in July. Members noted that the Action Plan did not take account of the recommendations in the Committee’s co-ordinated response to the DFP Review as set out in the Committee’s Second Report on the Budget Scrutiny Inquiry.
Agreed: to defer further consideration of the DFP Action Plan until next week’s meeting and, in the meantime, to seek clarification from DFP on whether the Executive was made aware of the recommendations of the Committee’s Second Report on the Budget Scrutiny Inquiry when the Action Plan was agreed by the Executive in July.
Procurement
Following an evidence session on 30 June 2010 on procurement issues the Committee noted the following correspondence from DFP:
- Procurement Board Action Plan in response to the Inquiry into Public Procurement in Northern Ireland;
- Procurement Board Action Plan response to issues from 30 June 2010;
- Procurement Board Action Plan response to query regarding target dates; and
- Procurement E-Sourcing Tool.
Agreed: to seek further clarification from DFP on the proposed timescales for addressing the Committee’s recommendations; information on how Central Procurement Directorate (CPD) has taken into account the views of the Committee in finalising its Action Plan; and to invite officials to provide a further update on the implementation of the Action Plan in early January.
NI Ombudsman: Response to proposal for a “Supply Chain Ombudsman”
The Committee noted a response from the NI Ombudsman to the Committee’s recommendation following the Public Procurement Inquiry for consideration to be given to providing for a “Supply Chain Ombudsman” to fulfil a mediation role in the procurement process.
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to CPD to inform its consideration of this recommendation.
Irish News Article: “NIW Exemplar Status Questioned by Wilson”
Members noted an Irish News article referring to a request during last session from the Committee to DFP for further information on the awarding of “exemplar status” to NI Water following the PwC re-accreditation of the Centres of Procurement Expertise (CoPEs).
Agreed: to seek clarification from DFP on the safeguards in place to avoid a conflict arising from the re-accreditation of CoPEs being carried out by an organisation which is also contracting with individual CoPEs; and on whether a CoPE can lose “exemplar status”.
Secretariat Paper: Suggested way forward regarding banking issues
The Assistant Clerk briefed the Committee on a proposal for a concurrent meeting on 22 September with the Committee for Enterprise, Trade & Investment (CETI) to hear evidence on the relationship between small businesses and the local banking sector.
Agreed: to also invite a representative of the British Bankers’ Association to give evidence at this meeting; to commission Assembly Research to provide a background briefing paper for the meeting, including information on lending rates to local businesses; to engage with CETI on the basis of the updated proposal; and to consider the possibility of following up on matters through the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister if appropriate.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 10.36am.
Draft correspondence to Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment: Northern Ireland Electrical Standards Lobby Group
The Committee considered draft correspondence to CETI regarding the Northern Ireland Electrical Standards Lobby Group.
Agreed: to seek clarification from DFP on the potential duplication of regulations if electrical standards are introduced as part of building regulations before issuing the correspondence; and to request information on what consideration has been given to including regulations relating to carbon monoxide.
4. Outcome of Senior Civil Service Pay Review (DFP Evidence Session)
The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Mr Stephen Peover, Permanent Secretary; and Derek Baker, Director of Personnel for the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS). The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 10.42am.
Ms Purvis left the meeting at 11.27am.
Ms Purvis returned to the meeting at 11.30am.
Mr McNarry left the meeting 11.35am.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 11.39am.
Dr Farry left the meeting at 11.43am.
Mr McQuillan left the meeting at 11.45am.
Agreed: that the Senior Salaries Review Body be given permission to release the Committee’s submission to the Review to DFP officials.
Agreed: to seek independent written advice on the Review report from a number of identified representatives of the local academic and business communities, as this will help to inform the Committee’s response to the Review.
5. DFP Spending and Savings Plans 2011-15 (DFP Evidence Session)
The Committee held an evidence session with the following DFP officials: Ms Deborah McNeilly, Finance Director, Finance Division, Corporate Services Group; and Adrian Doherty, Finance Director, Corporate Services Group, on the Spending and Savings Plans 2011-15. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Dr Farry returned to the meeting at 12.06pm.
Mr McLaughlin left the meeting at 12.18pm.
Mr McLaughlin returned to the meeting at 12.22pm.
Ms Purvis left the meeting at 12.35pm.
Agreed:that the Departmental officials will provide further information as requested by members, including a copy of the DFP Savings Delivery Plan by early October; and that the Committee will forward any additional issues not covered during the evidence session to DFP for written response.
6. September Monitoring Round – Departmental Position (DFP Briefing)
Members received a briefing from Ms Deborah McNeilly, Finance Director, Finance Division, Corporate Services Group; and Adrian Doherty, Finance Director, Corporate Services Group, on the September Monitoring Round. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
7. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered the following proposal from DFP for subordinate legislation:
- The Rates (Unoccupied Properties) (Prescribed Information) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 12.40pm.
Agreed:that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered DFP’s proposal for subordinate legislation under The Rates (Unoccupied Properties) (Prescribed Information) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.
The Committee also noted correspondence from DFP advising that the planned introduction of the Microgeneration Statutory Rule has been postponed as a consequence of the postponement of the non-domestic revaluation.
8. Correspondence
The Committee considered the following correspondence:
- Committee for Education: Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit;
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP for a response.
- Committee for the Environment: Simplification of the process to access EU Funding;
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP for a response.
- Committee for OFMDFM: Central Procurement Directorate Briefing;
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP for a response.
- Committee for OFMDFM: Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB);
Agreed: to request a writing briefing from DFP on the issues raised; and to invite SEUPB representatives to brief the Committee on progress towards the implementation of the INTERREG IVA Programme.
- DFP: Mortgage Rescue Scheme;
The Committee noted that the correspondence has been forwarded to the Committee for Social Development.
- DFP: Response to Environment Committee regarding Stakeholder Event;
Agreed: that the correspondence is forwarded to the Committee for the Environment.
- Dr Farry MLA: Public Sector IT Procurement Issues in Northern Ireland;
- DFP: Consultation on the Draft Damages (Asbestos-Related Conditions) Bill ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
- DFP: Damages (Asbestos-Related Conditions) Bill Timetable;
Agreed: to request the attendance of Assembly Research during the briefing at next week’s meeting.
- DFP: Response to the Committee for the Environment on the payment of invoices within 10 days;
Agreed: that the correspondence is forwarded to the Committee for the Environment.
- CETI: Outstanding Post Project Evaluations (PPEs);
- DFP: Monitoring PPEs;
- Draft response to DFP’s update on PPEs;
Agreed: to issue the response to DFP’s update on PPEs.
- Edward Cooke: SEUPB - Suspension of FoI Act / Code of Practice;
Agreed: to write to DFP highlighting issues raised about a DFP review of FoI procedures.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 12.52pm.
- DFP: Minute on the Direction of Accruing Resources;
- DFP: Consultation on the Building Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- DFP: Building Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2011-Phase 1 Consultation Proposals;
- Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure: Review of Data Security;
- CETI: Review of Data Security;
- Committee for OFMDFM: Report on the Northern Ireland Data Protection Review Second Assessment Exercise;
- Committee for the Environment: Initial response to Road Safety Strategy Consultation from the Committee for the Environment;
- DFP: Performance in relation to Committee requests;
- The English Place-Name Society: Northern Ireland Place-Name Project;
- Integrated Education Fund: Position paper on the re-structuring of education in Northern Ireland;
- DFP: 2010-11 Forecast Outturn Committee Reports;
- BBC News Article: NI Affairs Committee to examine corporation tax rate;
- DFP News Release - Appointment of Independent Board Members to the Department of Finance and Personnel;
- NI Audit Office: Response to the Committee Report into Public Sector Efficiencies;
- NI Law Commission: Consultation Paper Second Programme of Law Reform;
- Department of Justice: Equality Impact Assessment on Proposals for a Justice Bill ( Northern Ireland);
- DFP: Prompt Payment Statistics;
- DFP: Costs of Northern Ireland Assembly Office in Brussels;
- DFP News Release: Wilson meets NAMA Northern Ireland Advisory Committee;
- FSB: Invite to Chair to Silver Jubilee Dinner; and
- DFP-Equality Commission NI Annual Progress Report 2009-10.
The Committee noted that the following correspondence had been issued separately prior to the meeting:
- NI Ombudsman: Annual Report 2009-2010;
- NI Ombudsman: Resource Accounts 2009-2010;
- Financial Reporting Advisory Board: Annual Report 2009-2010;
- NI Audit Office: General Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland 2009;
- NISRA: NI Multiple Deprivation Measure 2010-Assembly Area Profiles;
- DFP: Memorandum on the Resettlement of Long Stay Patients from Learning Disability Hospitals;
- Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland: Resource Accounts 2009-10;
- DFP: LPS Annual Report & Accounts 2010; and
- UK Statistics Authority: Resource Accounts 2009/10
9. Committee Work Programme
Members considered a draft of the Committee work programme for the autumn session and an outline of Departmental-Committee Business provided by DFP.
Members also noted a request from the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) to brief the Committee on the ‘Government’s current round of Comprehensive Spending Review 2011-2015’.
Agreed: to invite NICVA to submit a written submission to the Committee ahead of a proposed oral evidence session which could take place after the Spending Review announcement due on 20 October.
Agreed: that the work programme is published on the website.
10. Any Other Business
11. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 15 September 2010 at 10.00am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting ended at 1.05pm.
Jennifer McCann, Chairperson
Committee for Finance and Personnel
15 September 2010
23 June 10 / Menu
