COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 08 MARCH 2011
ROOM 29, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Daithí McKay MLA (Chairperson)
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Mr Paul Frew MLA
Mr Paul Girvan MLA
Ms Jennifer McCann 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)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Dominic O’Farrell (Clerical Officer)
Mr Gareth Brown (Bursary Student)
Apologies:
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
The meeting commenced at 12.47pm in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above .
Agreed: that the evidence sessions at Agenda items 4 and 5 are recorded by Hansard and the Official Reports published on the website.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 01 March 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
Budget 2011-15
Members considered correspondence from the Minister of Finance and Personnel outlining a summary of the consultation responses to the draft Budget 2011-15; and the Ministerial Statement on the final draft Budget 2011-15.
Members also noted an update from Assembly Research on the final budget allocations shown in real terms and compared to the allocations in the draft budget consultation document.
4. Rating Issues – Evidence Session, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE)
Dr Farry declared an interest as a member of North Down Borough Council.
Mr Frew declared an interest as a member of Ballymena Borough Council.
Mr Girvan declared an interest as a member of Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Mr McQuillan declared an interest as a member Coleraine Borough Council.
Mr O’Loan declared an interest as a member of Ballymena Borough Council.
Members took evidence from Julie Thompson, Director of Finance and Resources, Belfast City Council and Ronan Cregan, Head of Finance and Performance, Belfast City Council who were representing the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE). The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Ms McCann joined the meeting at 1.05pm.
Ms Purvis joined the meeting at 1.07pm.
Mr McQuillan left the meeting at 1.10pm.
Mr McQuillan returned to the meeting at 1.12pm.
5. Rating Issues – Evidence Session, Land and Property Services
Members declared interests as recorded above.
The Committee took evidence from the following Land and Property Services officials: John Wilkinson, Chief Executive; Alan Bronte, Commissioner of Valuation; and Iain Greenway, Director of Operations. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Ms Purvis left the meeting at 1.40pm.
Mr McQuillan left the meeting at 1.47pm.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 1.47pm.
Mr McQuillan returned to the meeting at 1.51pm.
Mr O’Loan returned to the meeting at 1.53pm.
Agreed: that the issue of the penny product rate will be included in the Committee’s legacy report as a matter for the incoming Committee to consider in the next mandate.
6. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered a proposal for a statutory rule from DFP:
SL1 - The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order (NI) 2011
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered DFP’s proposal for subordinate legislation under The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order (NI) 2011 and has no objections to the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.
The Committee considered the following statutory rules:
SR2011 No. 57 -The Rates (Housing Executive) Order (NI) 2011
The Committee noted that, while the Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules was not yet available, he had indicated informally that he has no points to raise by way of technical scrutiny in relation to the Rule.
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered SR2011 No. 57 The Rates (Housing Executive) Order (NI) 2011 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules’ final report, recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly.
SR2011 No. 72 -The Rates (Regional Rates) Order (NI) 2011
The Committee noted that, while the Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules was not yet available, he had indicated informally that he has no points to raise by way of technical scrutiny in relation to the Rule.
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered SR2011 No. 72 The Rates (Regional Rates) Order (NI) 2011 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules’ final report, recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly.
SR2011 No. 73 - The Rates (Industrial Hereditaments) (Specified Percentage) Order (NI) 2011
The Committee noted that, while the Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules was not yet available, he had indicated informally that he has no points to raise by way of technical scrutiny in relation to the Rule.
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered SR2011 No. 73 The Rates (Industrial Hereditaments) (Specified Percentage) Order (NI) 2011 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules’ final report, recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly.
7. Correspondence
The following items of correspondence were noted:
- Community Relations Council: Response to Executive’s draft Budget 2011-15;
- Committee for Employment and Learning: Final Response to Executive’s draft Budget 2011-15;
- Northern Ireland Assembly Commission: Reply regarding Assembly Research Paper on Scrutiny Procedures for Budgets of other Legislatures;
Agreed: to include the correspondence in the evidence base of the Committee’s Third Report on its Budget Scrutiny Inquiry; and to refer to this matter in the Committee’s forthcoming Legacy Report.
- DFP: Missing Art Work in the NICS; and
- Chairpersons’ Liaison Group: Note of the Key Issues Discussed and Decisions Taken at its meeting on Tuesday 1 March.
The Committee also noted the following routine correspondence which had been emailed to Members prior to the meeting:
- Financial Capability Partnership NI Breakfast Briefing Invite;
- Response from DFP to the Environment Committee regarding the Landfill Tax;
- Response from DFP to the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee regarding the NICS Office Consumables Contract.
8. Committee Work Programme
Members considered a draft of the Committee work programme.
Dormant Accounts
Agreed: that the evidence session with DFP officials on the Dormant Accounts Scheme scheduled for next week will be deferred; and that secretariat staff will review existing correspondence on this matter to clarify the basis of the NI allocation.
Review of Data Security
Agreed: to seek a written update from DFP on the Review of Data Security for consideration at next week’s meeting, in lieu of the scheduled evidence session; and that this matter will be included in the Committee’s Legacy Report for consideration by the incoming Committee in the new mandate.
Agreed: that the work programme is amended to reflect the decisions made today, and that the revised programme is published on the Assembly website.
Dr Farry left the meeting 2.02pm.
9. Any Other Business
European Commission consultation on public procurement
Agreed: to submit a copy of the Committee’s Report on its Inquiry into Public Procurement for inclusion in the evidence base of this consultation by the European Commission; and to also submit a copy of the DFP responses to the Committee inquiry recommendations to date.
Agreed: to seek advice from DFP on what input the Department intends to make to this consultation in seeking to influence improvements to European legislation on public procurement which meet local needs in NI.
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 16 March at 10.00am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting ended at 2.03pm.
Daithí McKay, Chairperson
Committee for Finance and Personnel
16 March 2011
1 March 11 / Menu
