COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL

1. Apologies
2. Agree Minutes of Proceedings
3. Matters Arising
4. Budget Statement
5. Programme of Meetings
6. Appearance before the Committee of the Minister for Finance & Personnel
7. Consider Any Bills
8. Consider any Statutory Rules
9. Any Other Business
10. Date of Next Meeting

Members Present:

Mr Francie Molloy (Chair) Mr James Leslie (Deputy Chair) Mr William Bell Mr Seamus Close Mr John Dallat

Mr Oliver Gibson Mr Gardiner Kane Mr Donovan McCelland Mr Alex Maskey Mr Peter Weir

In Attendance:
Mr Martin Wilson (Committee Clerk)
Mr Peter Hughes (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Ms Sharon Bowman (Administrative Support)

3.1.1 The matter was considered.

3.1.2 Agreed: The Committee agreed that a detailed presentation on Government finances should be arranged for members for the next meeting.

3.2.1 A copy of the HM Treasury Statement on Funding Policy for the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly was issued to members for information.

4.1 Agreed: Members agreed to issue the draft letter on the Budget statement to the Minister of Finance and Personnel.

5.1 Members considered the proposed programme.

6.1 Mr Mark Durkan, Minister for Finance and Personnel appeared before the Committee to present a memorandum on the December Monitoring Round. The memorandum outlined savings of some £32 million identified as available for allocation to programmes against pressures identified by Departments of some £79 million.

6.2 Members questioned the Minister on the outcome of the December Monitoring Round and the allocations made to ease the pressures identified by Departments for the financial year 1999/00, as decided by the Northern Ireland Assembly Executive Committee. The Committee expressed its concern to the Minister that the Committee was not given the opportunity to consider the outcome of the Monitoring Round before the public announcement on the allocations was made.

6.3 Agreed: The Committee agreed with the Minister that a more detailed presentation on the outcome of the December Monitoring Round should be made to the Committee at the next meeting of the Committee.

6.4 The Chairman thanked the Minister for his presentation.

7.1 Mr John Fee MLA, sponsoring member of the Allowances to Members of the Assembly and Office Holders Bill (NIA 2/99) and the Financial Assistance for Political Parties Bill (NIA 3/99) appeared before the Committee on behalf of the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission. He was supported by officials.

7.2.1 Mr Fee made an opening statement and was questioned about the provisions of the Bill.

7.2.2 Agreed: The Committee raised a number of concerns about the Bill and agreed to meet again to give it further consideration. Mr Fee was asked to meet the Committee again to give further evidence on the Bill.

7.3.1 Mr Fee made an opening statement and was questioned about the provisions of the Bill.

7.3.2 Agreed: The Chairman put the following motion to the Committee. The Committee agreed that it should be adopted as read:

"The Committee considers that the provisions of the Financial Assistance for Political Parties Bill (NIA 3/99), as introduced, are sufficient to enable the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission to make provision for financial assistance to political parties for the purpose of assisting Members of the Assembly connected with such parties to perform their Assembly duties."

7.3.3 Agreed: The Committee agreed to issue the draft report on the Financial Assistance for Political Parties Bill (NIA 3/99) containing the adopted motion to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

8.1 No Statutory Rules were referred to the Committee.

9.1.1 Agreed: The Committee agreed to issue the draft press release.

9.2.1 The report was not considered.

9.3.1 The report was not considered.

9.4.1 The matter was not considered.

10.1 The next meeting of the Committee was scheduled for Wednesday, 19 January at 2.00 pm.