COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2010
COLBY HOUSE, STRANMILLIS COURT, BELFAST
Present:
Ms Jennifer McCann MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Mr Paul Frew MLA
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA
Mr Daithí McKay MLA
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin MLA
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA
Ms Dawn Purvis MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Kathy O’Hanlon (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Miss Karen Jardine (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr David McKee (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Dominic O’Farrell (Clerical Officer)
Mr Gareth Brown (Bursary Student)
Apologies:
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Paul Girvan MLA
Mr Adrian McQuillan MLA
The meeting commenced at 11.09 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 6 October 2010
Agreed: that the minutes are published on the Assembly website.
Agreed: that the evidence sessions at Agenda items 4 and 5 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.
Review of Senior Civil Service Pay
The Committee noted comments by Mr McLaughlin on the recommendations from the Review Body on Senior Salaries report on the Review of NI Senior Civil Service Pay 2010.
Agreed:that a draft Committee response to the Minister will be considered at next week’s meeting.
Departmental Response to the Report on the Preliminary Inquiry into Public Sector Efficiencies
Agreed:to publish the Department of Finance and Personnel’s (DFP) response to the Inquiry Report on the Committee’s website.
Budget 2010 Process
The Committee considered a Secretariat briefing paper regarding possible areas for examination and expert witnesses in respect of the forthcoming Spending Review and Budget 2010.
Agreed:to invite those listed to give evidence to the Committee. Members will notify the Clerk of any additional potential witnesses.
4. Land and Property Services Update – Departmental Briefing
The Committee received a briefing from the following DFP officials: Stephen Peover, Permanent Secretary, DFP; John Wilkinson, Chief Executive, Land and Property Services (LPS); Iain Greenway, Director of Operations, LPS.
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 11.29am.
Agreed: that the Departmental officials will provide further information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session.
Agreed: that any issues not covered during the evidence session will be forwarded to DFP for written response.
The Chairperson thanked the officials and LPS staff for the interesting and informative tour that preceded the Committee’s meeting.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.53am.
Ms Purvis left the meeting at 12.10pm.
5. Enterprise Shared Services: IT Assist; Network NI; and Records NI – DFP Evidence Session
The Committee took evidence from the following witnesses: Paul Wickens, Chief Executive, Enterprise Shared Services; Barry Lowry, Director IT Services, Enterprise Shared Services.
Mr Frew left the meeting at 12.24pm.
Mr Frew returned to the meeting at 12.26pm.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.27pm.
Agreed: that any issues not covered during the evidence session will be forwarded to DFP with a request for a written response.
The Committee agreed to move to Agenda item 8. Agenda items 6 and 7 will be considered at the Committee’s next meeting on 20 October.
6. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered SR 2010 No. 324 The Rates (Unoccupied Property) (Prescribed Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 and the Third Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules, which raised no issues by way of technical scrutiny.
Agreed:that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered SR 2010 No. 324 The Rates (Unoccupied Property) (Prescribed Information) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the Rule.
7. Correspondence
The Committee considered the following correspondence:
- Committee for the Environment: Disability Action Funding.
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP.
- DFP: Committee Statistics Quarter 2 – 2010/11.
- DFP: Post Project Evaluations Quarterly Update.
Agreed:to forward the correspondence to the committees for the Environment and Education and the Public Accounts Committee.
- Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister: Resource Accounts Request.
Agreed:to forward the correspondence to DFP.
- The Rainbow Project: Response to the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration Consultation Document.
- Advice NI: Response to Support Mortgage Interest Scheme.
- DFP: Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) Suspension of the Freedom of Information Code.
Agreed:to request further information from DFP with regard to the timescale for the development of guidance and the implications of any delay, and also in relation to the guidance that was in place before the Review.
- DFP: Access to End Year Flexibility Stock.
- Committee for Employment and Learning: The role and work of the SEUPB.
Agreed:to forward the correspondence to DFP.
- The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: Tackling Work Place Ill Health.
- Press cuttings: court case regarding exposure to asbestos.
- DFP: Update on Equal Pay Implementation.
8. Committee Work Programme
Members were advised of the possibility of a Private Members Bill being referred to the Committee for consideration, with formal notification in this regard expected shortly. Members considered a draft of the Committee work programme.
Agreed: that the work programme is amended to reflect decisions made today, and that the revised programme is published on the Assembly website.
9. Any Other Business
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 20 October 2010 at 10.00am at Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting ended at 12.44pm.
Jennifer McCann, Chairperson
Committee for Finance and Personnel
20 October 2010
06 October 10 / Menu
