COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2010
PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS, STORMONT
Present:
Present: Ms Jennifer McCann MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Mr Paul Frew MLA
Mr Paul Girvan MLA
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA
Mr Daithí McKay 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)
Mrs Kathy O’Hanlon (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr David McKee (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Dominic O’Farrell (Clerical Officer)
Mr Gareth Brown (Bursary Student)
The meeting commenced at 10.05am in open session.
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 13 October 2010
Agreed: that the minutes are published on the Assembly website.
Agreed: that the evidence sessions at Agenda items 6 and 7 are recorded by Hansard and the Official Reports published on the website.
Agreed: that a paper from the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) on issues regarding HR Connect can be provided to Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) officials in advance of the evidence session at Agenda item 6.
3. Matters Arising
Composite Request
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 – Draft Committee Response
Agreed : the Committee agreed its response to the Minister of Finance and Personnel on the outcome of the Review of Senior Civil Service Pay.
Armed Forces and Veterans Bill
The Committee considered correspondence from the Speaker regarding the Armed Forces and Veterans Bill.
Agreed:the Committee is content for the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (COFMDFM) to take the lead on this cross-cutting Bill under Standing Order 64A. The Committee noted that COFMDFM will seek the views and establish the interests of other relevant committees before arriving at any conclusions on the Bill.
Budget 2010
Agreed:to invite a number of additional witnesses to give evidence on strategic public finance issues.
Mr O’Loan joined the meeting at 10.10am.
Mr Hamilton joined the meeting at 10.11am.
4. Pleural Plaques: Numbers, Costs and International Approaches – Research Briefing
The Committee received a briefing from Assembly Research on the Research paper, Pleural Plaques: numbers, costs, and international approaches.
Mr McQuillan joined the meeting at 10.17am.
Agreed: to forward the issues identified to DFP for written response in advance of the pre-introductory briefing on the Draft Damages (Asbestos-Related Conditions) Bill, which is scheduled for 10 November.
5. Provision of Budgetary Information to the Legislature – Research Briefing
The Committee received a briefing from Assembly Research on the Provision of Budgetary Information to the Legislature.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 10.33am.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 10.42am.
Agreed: to request advice from DFP on the levels of financial information which could be provided by departments to committees.
6. Enterprise Shared Services: HRConnect and Centre for Applied Learning - DFP Evidence Session
The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Paul Wickens, Chief Executive, Enterprise Shared Services (ESS); Patricia Corbett, HR Service Management Director, ESS. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 10.49am.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 10.55am.
Agreed: that the Departmental officials will provide further information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.25am.
7. Account NI and Performance of NICS in payment of suppliers – DFP Evidence Session
The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Paul Wickens, Chief Executive, ESS; Fiona Hamill, Treasury Officer of Accounts; John Crosby, Chief Executive of Account NI. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr McQuillan left the meeting at 11.47am.
Mr McLaughlin left the meeting at 11.55am.
Mr McLaughlin returned to the meeting at 11.59am.
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.
8. Construction Contracts (Amendment) Bill – Consideration of Draft Report
The Committee undertook paragraph-by-paragraph consideration of its draft Report on the Construction Contracts (Amendment) Bill.
Agreed: that paragraphs 1 – 2 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 3 – 6 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 7 – 10 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 11 – 12 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 13 – 20 stand part of the Report, with a minor amendment to paragraph 14;
Agreed: that the Executive Summary stands part of the Report;
Agreed: that the Appendices stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that the extract of the unapproved Minutes of Proceedings of today’s meeting is checked by the Chairperson and included in Appendix 1.
Agreed: that the Report, as amended, be the First Report of the Committee for Finance and Personnel to the Assembly for session 2010/11;
Agreed: that the Report on the Construction Contracts (Amendment) Bill be printed.
Members noted that, in line with normal protocol, a typescript copy of the Report will be issued to DFP and two typescript copies will be laid in the Business Office in advance of printed copies being made available.
9. Follow up to concurrent meeting with local banks
Members noted the following papers in follow-up to the concurrent meeting with the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (CETI) which was held on 22 September 2010:
- Assembly Research Paper: Concurrent meeting with banks: issues outstanding;
- DFP: Response to the “Financing a Private Sector Recovery”Green Paper;
- Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 22 September 2010; and
- Statement from Reverend John McDowell, Secretary to the Church of Ireland General Synod.
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 12.07pm.
Agreed: to copy the papers to CETI.
Agreed: to request a copy of the Department of ETI’s response to the Green Paper, “Financing a Private Sector Recovery”.
The Committee noted that Mr Eric Leenders, Chief Executive of the British Bankers’ Association, will give evidence to the next concurrent meeting, scheduled for 17 November.
Agreed: Once agreed by CETI, the issues identified in the Assembly Research paper will be forwarded to the bank representatives who gave evidence on 22 September and to Mr Leenders, with a request for a written response in advance of the next concurrent meeting on 17 November.
Agreed:to request an update on discussions and any information that DFP has obtained from banks in respect of NI issues.
7. Correspondence
The Committee considered the following correspondence:
- DFP: Response to COFMDFM regarding SEUPB officials.
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to COFMDFM.
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure.
- DFP: Draft Spending and Savings Plans Follow-up Response.
- DFP: General Register Office (Fees) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010.
- Information on Departmental External Advisors.
- Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure: Informal Meeting with Construction Employers Federation (CEF).
- DFP: European Commission’s Communication on the Rights of the Child.
Agreed: to forward to COFMDFM.
8. Committee Work Programme
Agreed:in view of the Committee’s workload in the coming months and the heavy agendas for each meeting, the Committee will meet at 9.30am where necessary.
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
Members noted a flyer regarding a Bribery Act Breakfast Briefing which will be held in Belfast on 5 November 2010.
Agreed:to copy the flyer to CETI.
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 3 November 2010 at 10.00am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting ended at 12.12pm.
Jennifer McCann, Chairperson
Committee for Finance and Personnel
3 November 2010
13 October 10 / Menu
