COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 19 JANUARY 2011
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
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 Daithi McKay MLA
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin 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 Jim Nulty (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Dominic O’Farrell (Clerical Officer)
Mr Gareth Brown (Bursary Student)
The meeting commenced at 10.18am in open session.
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
Agreed: that the evidence sessions at Agenda items 4, 5, 9 and 10 are recorded by Hansard and the Official Reports published on the website.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 12 January 2011
Agreed: that the minutes are published on the Assembly 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.
Draft Budget 2011-2015
Agreed: to request that the Business Committee considers allocating three hours to the “take note” debate on the Draft Budget 2011-2015, scheduled for Monday 31 January 2011.
Agreed: to keep open the possibility of tabling a motion to debate the Committee’s co-ordinated report on the Draft Budget. The Committee will reconsider this option following receipt of responses from the other statutory committees and taking account of the themes emerging from the Committee’s report.
Agreed: to invite the Minister to brief the Committee on the Draft Budget at one of its scheduled Wednesday meetings which is mutually convenient.
4. Update on the Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS) Rescue Plan
The Committee held an evidence session with Mr Bill Pauley, Head of Strategic Policy Division, Central Finance Group, DFP. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 10.30am.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 10.34am.
Mr McNarry joined the meeting at 10.55am.
Mr Frew left the meeting at 11.20am.
Ms Purvis left the meeting at 11.22am.
Mr Girvan left the meeting at 11.27am.
Mr Frew returned to the meeting at 11.35am.
Ms Purvis returned to the meeting at 11.42am.
Mr McKay joined the meeting at 11.42am.
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 11.46am.
Agreed: that the DFP official will provide further information as requested by the Committee.
Agreed: to provide the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (CETI) with a copy of the DFP briefing paper on the PMS Rescue Plan and to request that CETI shares information that it receives from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) on this matter.
5. Outcome of December 2010 Monitoring Round
The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Ms Pamela Galloway, Central Expenditure Division; Ms Deborah McNeilly, Finance Director, Corporate Services Group; and Mr Peter Jakobsen, Central Expenditure Division. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.48am.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.00pm.
Agreed: that the DFP officials will provide further information as requested by the Committee, including a response to follow-up written requests.
6. Preventative Spending – Assembly Research Briefing
Members received a briefing from QUB Bursary Student, Gareth Brown, on preventative spending.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 12.15pm.
Mr O’Loan returned to the meeting at 12.16pm.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.17pm.
Mr O’Loan returned to the meeting at 12.20pm.
Agreed: to copy the research paper to the other statutory committees, suggesting that they may wish to take the issues raised into account in their separate considerations of the Draft Budget 2011-2015 as appropriate; and to include the research paper in the evidence base for the Committee’s co-ordinated report on the Draft Budget 2011-2015.
The meeting was suspended at 12.25pm.
The meeting resumed at 12.47pm with Ms McCann, Dr Farry, Mr Frew, Mr Hamilton and Mr O’Loan present.
7. Subordinate Legislation
SR 2010 No. 431 – Valuation (Telecom, Natural Gas and Water) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010
Agreed: That the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered the Valuation (Telecommunications, Natural Gas and Water) Regulations (N.I.) 2010, and has no objection to the rule.
8. Damages (Asbestos-Related Conditions) Bill: Evidence Session
The Committee was due to take evidence from Justice for Asbestos. However following further communication the group has advised that they will not be in a position to provide written or oral evidence at this time.
9. Damages (Asbestos-Related Conditions) Bill: Evidence Session
The Committee took evidence from Mr Nick Starling, Director of General Insurance and Health, Association of British Insurers; Mr Dominic Clayden, Director of Technical Claims, Aviva; Mr Neal Brown, Commercial Operations Manager, Royal Sun Alliance; and Mr Stephen Boyles, Business Manager, Zurich (NI). The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 1.00pm.
Mr O’Loan returned to the meeting at 1.02pm.
Mr McKay returned to the meeting at 1.05pm.
Mr McLaughlin returned to the meeting at 1.06pm.
Mr Frew left the meeting at 1.11pm.
Ms Purvis returned to the meeting at 1.12pm.
Dr Farry left the meeting at 1.27pm.
Mr McKay left the meeting at 1.30pm.
Agreed: that the witnesses will provide further information as requested by the Committee.
10. Damages (Asbestos-Related Conditions) Bill: Evidence Session
The Committee took evidence from Ms Amanda Wylie, Partner, Kennedys Law. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Agreed: that the witness will provide further information as requested by the Committee.
11. Correspondence
The following items of correspondence were noted:
- Committee for the Environment: Planning Bill;
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP.
- Derry City Council: Comprehensive Spending Review;
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP; and to advise Derry City Council accordingly.
- Committee for Regional Development: Public Transport Reform;
- DFP: Monitoring of Departmental Efficiency Delivery Plans;
Agreed: to copy the correspondence to the other statutory committees for information.
- CETI: Skills, Training and Reinvestment;
- CETI: Ulster Bank Northern Ireland Economic Overview;
- Public Accounts Committee: Data Retention Policy;
Agreed: to write to DFP querying why there is no Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS)-wide data retention policy; and to call for a comprehensive review of data retention policies in line with best practice and with the aim of establishing an NICS-wide digital data retention policy.
- DFP: Draft public procurement guidance for Social Economy Enterprises and Small and Medium Enterprises;
Agreed: to consider a draft response from the Committee on the draft guidance at its meeting on 9 February 2011.
- DFP: Transfer of Functions Order;
Agreed: to write to DFP seeking clarification on anticipated cost and operational implications of the proposed transfer of functions from DETI to DFP.
- DFP: Budget Bill (NI) 2011;
- Northern Ireland Office Press Statement: End Year Funding;
- DFP: Current Balance of the NI Economy;
- Request for HR Connect Papers;
Agreed: to release any relevant papers provided to the Committee by DFP on a non-restricted basis.
- Public Accounts Committee: NI Audit Office Efficiency Savings;
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to the DFP Minister highlighting the operational independence of the NI Audit Office, as detailed in the research paper presented at last week’s meeting; and to include the correspondence in the background papers for the Committee’s report on the Draft Budget 2011-2015.
- CETI: Credit Review Arrangement;
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to the DFP Minister.
- DFP: Postponement of session on Civil Registration Bill.
The Committee also noted that the following routine correspondence had been emailed to members prior to the meeting:
- Energy Saving Trust 2009/2010 Annual Review Cover Letter;
- Energy Saving Trust 2009/2010 Annual Review Report;
- Wiseradviser Brochure regarding Courses and Blended Learning;
- Public Accounts Committee: Annual Theft and Fraud Report 2009-10.
Agreed: that, in future, the routine correspondence will be emailed on the Monday afternoon prior to the Committee meeting.
12. Committee Work Programme
Members considered a draft of the Committee work programme and noted that it will be necessary to hold a longer meeting on 26 January 2011.
Members noted correspondence from DFP requesting that the evidence session on proposed amendments to the Civil Registration Bill, due to be held on 26 January, be postponed.
Agreed: that the evidence session will be postponed until 9 February 2011.
Members considered a secretariat paper relating to the planned evidence session with DFP officials on Government Accommodation Efficiencies on 26 January 2011.
Agreed: that, given the Committee’s heavy workload, the issues identified will be forwarded to DFP for a written response in lieu of the scheduled evidence session.
Agreed: that the work programme is amended to reflect decisions made today, and that the revised programme is published on the Assembly website.
13. Any Other Business
14. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 26 January 2011 at 10.00am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting ended at 2.08pm.
Daithí McKay, Chairperson
Committee for Finance and Personnel
26 January 2011
12 January 11/ Menu
