COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
SIXTY NINTH MEETING
TUESDAY, 16 OCTOBER, 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
Mr Derek Hussey
Ms Patricia Lewsley
Mr Peter Weir
In attendance: Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
Mr Peter Hughes (Clerk)
Ms 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 2.34p.m. The meeting was held in open session
1. Apologies
1.1 Mr Alex Attwood and Mr Peter Robinson MP.
2. Minutes of Proceedings
2.1 Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of 9 October 2001.
3. Matters arising
3.1 The Committee noted the briefing prepared for the Chairman in relation to the Chairpersons' Liaison Group.
3.2 The Chairman briefed the Committee on the deliberations made by the Group.
4. Executive Programme Funds
4.1 The Principal Clerk presented a Draft Report to the Committee.
Mr Hussey attended the meeting at 2.41pm.
4.2 The Committee considered the Report and agreed a number of amendments.
Ms Lewsley left the meeting at 3.05 p.m and returned at 3.10 p.m.
4.3 The Committee agreed the Minutes of Evidence by the Department of Finance and Personnel.
Mr Bell attended the meeting at 3.24 p.m. Mr Dodds left the meeting at 3.25 p.m and returned at 3.36 p.m.
4.4 Resolved: The Committee ordered the draft report to be printed subject to the amendments provided to the Principal Clerk.
4.5 The Committee agreed to issue advance copies to Statutory Departmental Chairpersons.
5. Programme for Government
5.1 The Clerk presented a briefing to the Committee on the objectives for the Department under the Programme for Government.
5.2 Department of Finance and Personnel officials, Ms Adrianne Brown, Mrs Nuala Kerr and Mr David Sterling attended the meeting and briefed the Committee and answered questions on work underway to allow the Department to achieve its objectives under the Programme for Government
Ms Leslie left the meeting at 3.55 p.m and returned at 4.05 p.m. Mr Hussey left the meeting at 4.05 p.m. Ms Lewsley left the meeting at 4.13 p.m.
6. Draft Budget - Scrutiny of Central Finance Group
6.1 The Clerk presented a paper by the Assembly Research Services to the Committee on the roles, responsibilities and budget details of the Central Finance Group a Directorate in the Department of Finance and Personnel.
6.2 Department of Finance and Personnel officials, Dr Andrew Mc Cormick and Mr David Sterling attended the meeting and briefed the Committee and answered questions on the five main roles carried out by the Directorate.
6.3 The officials outlined for the Committee how the indicative budget for the Directorate in the 2002/03 financial year would enhance and improve the services provided and allow the Directorate to provide better evidence based advice in budget management issues.
6.4 The Committee considered a motion to the Assembly on its considerations of the Draft Budget.
6.5 Resolved: The Committee agreed the motion "That the Assembly takes note of the Report prepared by the Committee for Finance and Personnel following its considerations of the Second Tranche of the Executive Programme Funds".
7. Correspondence
7.1 The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister of Finance and Personnel on Intermediary Funding Bodies and Gap Funding for EU Peace II Programmes, from the Minister on the publication of Regional Trends (2001 Edition) and Press Releases by the Department of Finance and Personnel.
8. Next Meeting
8.1 The Committee agreed to meet again on Tuesday, 23 October 2001.
8.2 The Committee also agreed to meet on Thursday 25 October 2001 to discuss its response to the Draft Budget if necessary.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 4.54 p.m.
Francie Molloy
Chairman