COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
MONDAY, 21 MARCH 2011
ROOM 29, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Daithí McKay MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
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
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 12.47pm in open session.
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 16 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 DFP which provided an update on any matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
NICS Equal Pay Settlement
The Committee noted correspondence from Mr Jim Wells MLA, regarding the exclusion from the equal pay settlement of those retired on medical grounds more than six months before the settlement date.
Agreed: to advise Mr Wells that, in its Legacy Report, the Committee will recommend that its successor further examines the apparent anomalies which have arisen from the equal pay settlement, including in terms of those groups omitted from the settlement.
Mr Girvan joined the meeting at 12.48pm.
In line with normal convention when considering draft committee reports, the Committee moved into closed session at 12.49pm.
4. Third Report on the Inquiry into the Role of the Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure: Final Consideration of Draft Report
The Committee undertook paragraph-by-paragraph consideration of the draft Third Report on the Inquiry into the Role of the Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure.
Agreed: that paragraphs 1 – 24 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 25 – 27 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 28 – 36 as amended stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 37 – 43 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 44 – 55 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 56 – 81 as amended stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 82 – 107 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 108 – 109 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that the draft 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 Fourth Report of the Committee for Finance and Personnel to the Assembly for session 2010-11;
Agreed: that the Third Report on the Inquiry into the Role of the Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure, as amended, be printed;
Members were advised that typescript copies of the agreed report would be laid in the Business Office for the attention of all Members. The printed copies of the Report will be issued to all MLAs once available;
Agreed: that a copy of the Report be submitted to all relevant Assembly committees, to the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group, to the Assembly Commission and to those that provided written and oral evidence.
5. End of Session Report: Final Consideration of Draft Report
The Committee undertook paragraph-by-paragraph scrutiny of the draft End of Session Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 1 – 13 stand part of the report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 14 – 21 stand part of the report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 22 – 35 stand part of the report;
Agreed: that Annex A stands part of the report;
Agreed: that the report be the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s End of Session Report 2010-11.
Agreed: that the End of Session Report 2010-11 be published on the Assembly’s website.
6. Legacy Report: Final Consideration of Draft Report
The Committee undertook paragraph-by-paragraph scrutiny of the draft Legacy Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 1 - 11 stand part of the report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 12 - 23 stand part of the report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 24 -31 stand part of the report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 32 - 51 stand part of the report;
Agreed: that Appendix 2 stands part of the report;
Agreed: that the report be the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s Legacy Report.
Agreed: that the Legacy Report be published on the Assembly website.
Agreed: to issue a press release reflecting on the successes of the Committee in the current mandate.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.59pm.
The Committee moved into open session at 1.00pm.
7. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered the following proposals for statutory rules from DFP:
SL1 The Land Registration (Amendment) Rules (NI) 2011
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered DFP’s proposal for subordinate legislation under the Land Registration (Amendment) Rules (NI) 2011, and has no objections to the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.
SL1 The Land Registration (Electronic Communications) Order (NI) 2011
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered DFP’s proposal for subordinate legislation under the Land Registration (Electronic Communications) Order (NI) 2011, and has no objections to the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.
SL1 The Cross-Border Mediation Regulations (NI) 2011
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered DFP’s proposal for subordinate legislation under the Cross-Border Mediation Regulations (NI) 2011 and has no objections to the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this time.
Members also considered the following statutory rule:
SR 2011 No. 116 Superannuation (Office of the Director and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions) Order (NI) 2011
The Committee noted that, while the formal report is not yet available, the Examiner of Statutory Rules has indicated that there are no points to raise by way of technical scrutiny in relation to the Rule.
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered SR 2011 No 116 Superannuation (Office of the Director and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions) Order (NI) 2011, and has no objections to the rule.
8. Correspondence
The following items of correspondence were noted:
- NICS Employment Equality and Diversity Report 2010.
- Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations: Civil Registration Bill 2007;
Agreed: to notify DFP of the issue raised in respect of the inclusion of parents’ names in death registrations in NI. The Chairperson will also raise the issue with the Minister during the plenary debate on the Final Stage of the Civil Registration Bill later today.
- Assembly Research Briefing Note: follow up research on the Economic Impact of Cuts in Annually Managed Expenditure and the Cost of Car Insurance.
- Consumer Council NI: Air Passenger Duty;
Agreed: to copy the correspondence to DFP.
- DFP: European Commission consultation on the Modernisation of the European Public Procurement Market.
9. Any Other Business
The Chairperson thanked Committee members and secretariat staff for their contribution to the work of the Committee during the mandate.
Agreed: that the Committee does now adjourn.
The Committee adjourned at 1.06pm.
Daithí McKay, Chairperson
Committee for Finance and Personnel
23 March 2011
16 March 11 / Menu
