COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
SEVENTY SECOND MEETING
TUESDAY, 13 NOVEMBER, 2001
COMMITTEE ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Francie Molloy (Chairman)
Mr James Leslie (Deputy Chairman)
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Billy Bell
Mr Seamus Close
Mr Derek Hussey
Ms Patricia Lewsley
Mr Alex Maskey
Mr Maurice Morrow
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 2.35.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 of 6 November 2001.
3.1. The Committee noted the letter sent by the Clerk to the Chairpersons of the Statutory Departmental Committees and the Committee of the Centre regarding the three key dimensions identified in the Northern Ireland Civil Service Accommodation Review.
3.2. The Committee noted the letter sent to the Examiner of Statutory Rules regarding delegation of authority under Standing Order 41.
3.3. The Committee noted the letter sent to the Minister of Finance and Personnel regarding its recommendations in the Executives Programme Funds Report.
Mr Maskey attended the meeting at 2.41p.m, Mr Hussey attended at 2.42 p.m, Mr Attwood and Mr Morrow attended at 2.50p.m. The Chairman welcomed Mr Morrow as a new member on the Committee. Ms Lewsley left the meeting at 2.54 p.m.
4. Aggregates Tax.
4.1. Departmental officials Mr David Sterling and Mr Graeme Hutchinson and briefed the Committee on the case against implementation of the tax in Northern Ireland as outlined by the Minister during discussions on Aggregates Tax with the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.
4.2. The officials informed the Committee that the matter will be discussed in Westminster by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and that OFMDFM had prepared a paper for that meeting which would be copied to the Committee.
4.3. The Committee considered a draft press release supporting the Minister's efforts to stop the implementation of the tax in Northern Ireland.
4.4. The Committee agreed the press release.
Mr Attwood left the meeting at 3.08p.m and returned at 3.10 p.m.
5. Executive Programme Funds.
5.1. The Minister of Finance and Personnel attended the meeting along with Departmental officials, Dr Andrew Mc Cormick, Mr David Sterling and Mr Graeme Hutchinson. The Minister thanked the Committee for its report into the Executive Programme Funds (EPF) and for its support of the DFP bids.
5.2. The Minister discussed the concerns and issues raised by the Committee's recommendations in the report and answered questions from the Committee.
Mr Bell attended the meeting at 3.30 p.m.
5.3. The Minister informed the Committee that the Executive was reviewing the timing and frequency of EPF Tranches.
5.4. The Chairman thanked the Minister for his openness and for his availability and attendance at Committee during his tenure and wished him well in his new role as Deputy First Minister.
Ms Lewsley returned to the meeting at 3.47 p.m and Mr Attwood left the meeting at 3.47 p.m.
6. September Monitoring Result
6.1. Departmental officials Dr Andrew Mc Cormick, Mr David Sterling and Mr Graeme Hutchinson attended the Committee and briefed them and answered questions on the September monitoring round result.
Mr Close left the meeting at 4.25 p.m.
7. Radon Gas
7.1. Departmental officials Mr Richie Warburton and Mr Seamus Mc Crystal attended the meeting and briefed the Committee and answered questions on the progress made by the Department to review the building regulations covering radon gas and to introduce new legislation.
Mr Leslie left the meeting at 4.40 p.m and returned at 4.42 p.m.
7.2. The officials informed the Committee that there was no definitive statement by the Department to extend radon gas regulations to all of Northern Ireland because of concerns about abuse of power by the Department but legal advice recently received was that enforcement was justified if lives were at risk.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 4.47 p.m and Mr Attwood returned to the meeting at 4.50 p.m.
7.3. Following concerns expressed by the Committee about the inclusion of other issues including the Kyoto Agreement and fire safety alongside radon gas in the review of the building regulations, the officials agreed to demonstrate how concentration by the Department on radon gas only would affect the timetable.
Mr Maskey left the meeting at 4.55 p.m.
8. Draft Budget 2002/03
8.1. The Principal Clerk presented a Draft Report to the Committee.
8.2. The Committee considered the Report and agreed a number of amendments.
8.3. The Committee agreed the Minutes of Evidence of its meeting with the Minister of Finance and Personnel on 25 September 2001.
8.4. The Committee agreed to include written submissions from Assembly Committees and District and Local Councils in its Report.
8.5. Resolved: The Committee ordered the Draft Report to be printed subject to the amendments provided to the Principal Clerk.
9. Correspondence
9.1. The Committee noted correspondence received.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 5.20 p.m.
Francie Molloy
Chairman