1. Minutes of Proceedings
2. Matters Arising
3. Spending Review 2000 - Correction to Northern Ireland Departmental Expenditure
4. Committee Stage - Ground Rents Bill (NIA Bill 6/99)(cont'd)
5. Consider Any Statutory Rules
6. Correspondence
7. Any Other Business
8. Date of Next Meeting

Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings for 7 September 2000.

The Committee deliberated on the proposed arrangements for handling financial measures within the Assembly as outlined in a draft letter, and following discussions between Committee members and the Department of Finance and Personnel on 6 September 2000.

Resolved: The Committee agreed to the issue of the letter to the Chairman of the Committee on Procedures as amended.

The Committee deliberated on its programme of business. Members expressed concern about the Committee's legislative workload.

Resolved: The Committee agreed that a letter on the legislative workload, addressed to the Chairman, Chairpersons' Liaison Committee, be brought to the Committee for consideration at its next meeting.

Dr Andrew McCormick, Department of Finance and Personnel appeared before the Committee and was questioned on the error made by HM Treasury in overstating the Northern Ireland Departmental Expenditure Limits by £23 million per year for the three financial years 2001/02 to 2003/04.

Resolved: The Committee agreed to meet again to discuss the problem further with Departmental officials and that the Chairman would write to the Minister of Finance and Personnel on the circumstances under which the error was notified to the Committee.

The Committee commenced the clause-by-clause scrutiny of the Ground Rents Bill. Ms Judena Goldring and Mr Neil Lambe, Office of Law Reform appeared before the Committee and were questioned on the Bill. The Committee deliberated on the intent of the Bill.

Resolved: The Office of Law Reform agreed to examine and report to the Committee on a change to the Long and Short Title of the Bill. This should specify that the Bill would cover the redemption of ground rents on residential property only.

The Committee considered Clause 1 and agreed that it should stand part of the Bill.

The Committee considered Clause 2 and agreed that it should stand part of the Bill.

No Statutory Rules were tabled.

The following correspondence was tabled: two letters dated 11 September 2000 from the Minister of Finance and Personnel on SR 2000: Correction to NI DELs, and EU Community Initiatives - Indicative Financial Allocations.

The Committee deliberated on the likely interest of other Committees in the Review of Deprivation Indicators commissioned by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

Resolved: The Committee agreed that it was content that the Committee of the Centre should approach NISRA with a view to its involvement in the consultation to inform the development of the indicators.

Resolved: The Committee agreed to meet on Tuesday, 19 September at 2.00 pm when it would continue consideration of the Ground Rents Bill.