COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
SIXTY FIFTH MEETING
TUESDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER, 2001
COMMITTEE ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Francie Molloy (Chairman)
Mr James Leslie (Deputy Chairman)
Mr Billy Bell
Mr Seamus Close
Mr Nigel Dodds MP
Mr Derek Hussey
Ms Patricia Lewsley
Mr Peter Robinson MP
Mr Peter Weir
In attendance:
Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
Mr Peter Hughes (Clerk)
Mrs Sheila Mc Clelland (Clerk)
Mr Joe Sloan (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Sharon Bowman (Executive Support)
Mr Jonathan Briggs (Administrative Support)
The Chairman declared the meeting open at 2.33 p.m.. The meeting was held in open session
1. Apologies
1.1. None
2. Minutes of Proceedings
2.1.Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings for 4 September 2001.
3. Matters arising
3.1. The Committee noted the letter sent to the Department regarding the Committee's Business Programme.
Ms Lewsley attended at 2.35 p.m.
4. Committee's Business Programme.
4.1. The Principal Clerk briefed the Committee on its Business Programme.
Mr Dodds attended at 2.36 p.m. Mr Hussey attended the meeting at 2.40 p.m.
4.2. The Principal Clerk asked the Committee to consider items for Inquiries by the Committee.
5. Land Registers Performance
5.1. Representatives from the Law Society of Northern Ireland, Mr John Neill, Mrs Sarah Witchell, Mr John Pinkerton and Mr Donald Eakin made a submission to the Committee regarding matters of serious concern for the Law Society in relation to the operation and performance of Land Registers of Northern Ireland.
Mr Dodds left the meeting at 2.58 p.m.
5.2. The delegation outlined four proposals to remedy delays and to improve performance and consultation with the Society and then answered Members' questions.
Mr Robinson left the meeting at 3.15 p.m. Mr Hussey left the meeting at 3.39 p.m. Mr Bell left the meeting at 3.43 p.m.
5.3. Officials from Land Registers, Mr Gerry Mc Kenna, Mr Derek Reade and Mr Wally Gamble attended the meeting and outlined to the Committee the current backlogs and problems in the Registries and the steps being taken to deal with them.
5.4. The officials answered Members' questions and agreed to provide written details of backlogs in various areas of work in the Registries.
Mr Robinson returned to the meeting at 3.56 p.m. Mr Hussey returned to the meeting at 3.58 p.m.
5.5. Resolved: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Finance and Personnel about the concerns raised by the Law Society of Northern Ireland and to revisit this issue to measure the success of the Agency in remedying its current problems and providing a satisfactory service to its customers.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 4.10 p.m.
6. Financial Reporting Advisory Board (FRAB)
6.1. Mr Brian Delaney an official from the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) briefed the Committee on the membership of the FRAB and its terms of reference and answered questions from Members.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 4.15 p.m.
6.2. Resolved: The Committee agreed that a DFP official should be the Northern Ireland representative on the FRAB but that the Committee would ask the Minister of Finance and Personnel to review the number and level of Northern Ireland representatives on the Board at a later date.
Mr Leslie left the meeting at 4.19 p.m.
7. Department of Finance and Personnel - September Monitoring Position.
7.1. Departmental officials, Mr Michael Daly and Mrs Aileen Edmond briefed the Committee on the bids prepared by the Department for the Minister's consideration and approval for submission in the September monitoring round.
Mr Dodds returned to the meeting at 4.27 p.m. Mr Robinson left the meeting at 4.30 p.m.
8. Correspondence
8.1. The Committee noted correspondence from Mr Des Mc Conaghy, from the Confederation of British Industry (Northern Ireland) on the PfG and the Budget for 2002/03, from PricewaterhouseCoopers relating to Transport 2000's submission to the Committee's Inquiry into the use of Public Private Partnerships and from the Minister of Finance and Personnel regarding the consultation period in relation to Physical Punishment of Children.
8.2. Resolved: The Committee agreed that the letter from the CBI should be copied to the Department of Finance and Personnel in relation to its Review of Rating Policy.
8.3. Resolved: The Committee agreed that Transport 2000 should be afforded the opportunity to respond to PwC's correspondence and that copies of both sets of correspondence should be forwarded to the Department's PPP working group.
9. Any other Business
9.1. The Committee was reminded about the financial seminar scheduled for Wednesday 12 September 2001 at 2.30 p.m.
10. Date of next meeting
10.1. The Committee agreed the next meeting as Tuesday, 18 September 2001.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 4.43 p.m.
Francie Molloy
Chairman