COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
EIGHTY SECOND MEETING
TUESDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2002
COMMITTEE ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Francie Molloy (Chairman)
Mr Seamus Close
Mr Derek Hussey
Mr Roger Hutchinson
Ms Patricia Lewsley
Mr Alex Maskey
Mr Maurice Morrow
Mr Peter Weir
In attendance:
Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
Ms Sheila Mc Clelland (Clerk)
Mr Joe Sloan (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Briggs (Administrative Support)
The Chairman declared the meeting open at 2.35 p.m. The meeting began in closed session.
1. Chairman's business
1.1. The Principal Clerk presented the Committee's briefing papers for the day's business. The Committee discussed the briefing.
Mr Hutchinson attended the meeting at 2.45 p.m.
The Chairman declared the meeting open to the public at.2.57 p.m.
2. Apologies.
2.1. Mr James Leslie and Mr Billy Bell.
2.2 The Chairman offered his congratulations to the Deputy Chairman Mr Leslie, on his promotion to Junior Minister and expressed his gratitude for Mr Leslie's contribution and support in his work with the Committee for Finance and Personnel.
3. Minutes of Proceedings
3.1. The Committee considered and agreed the Minutes of Proceedings for 12 February 2002.
3.2. Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of 12 February 2002.
4. Matters arising
4.1. The Committee noted the letter from the Minister regarding public consultation on the Physical Punishment of Children in the Home.
4.2. The Committee noted the press notice by the Department regarding public consultation on the Physical Punishment of Children in the Home.
4.3. The Committee discussed the press notice by the Department regarding public consultation on Building Regulations provisions including Radon Gas.
4.4. Resolved: The Committee welcomed the launch of the public consultation and agreed to issue a press release expressing its support and noting that its concerns on the extent of Radon Gas protection measures had been recognised and were being addressed.
4.5. The Committee noted the Research Service information pack relating to Supply Resolutions and the Budget Bill.
4.6. The Committee noted the Chairman's speaking notes for the debate on the Second Stage of the Budget Bill No. 1.
4.7. The Committee noted the explanatory note from the Department on Supplementary Estimates and agreed that the note might be provided as a handout on the proposed seminar on Estimates.
4.8. The Committee discussed the response by the Department of Finance and Personnel regarding the consultation by the Department of Employment and Learning relating to proposed legislation on Flexible Working.
4.9. Resolved: The Committee agreed that the Principal Clerk would present a draft response on the Consultation Paper and Members would provide additional comment at the next meeting if necessary.
4.10. The Committee noted the response from the Minister regarding the Quinquennial Review of the Rates Collection Agency.
4.11. The Committee noted the response from the Minister regarding the Audit and Accountability consultation paper.
The Chairman declared the meeting in closed session at 3.10 p.m.
5. Review of Government Accommodation
5.1. Departmental officials Mr David Ferguson, Mr Barney McGuigan, Mr Gareth Johnston and representatives of the Department's consultants Mr Ken MacLean and Mr Paul Clarke attended the meeting and briefed the Committee on the Review Team's Interim Report.
Ms Lewsley left the meeting at 3.48 p.m.
The meeting was suspended at 3.54 p.m. to allow members to vote in divisions and resumed at 4.44 p.m. Mr Maskey attended the meeting at 4.44 p.m. Mr Morrow attended the meeting at 4.47 p.m.
5.2. The officials answered questions from the Committee and requested the Committee's views on the key dimensions contained in the Interim Report.
5.3. The officials stated that the next stage of the Review would start around 22 February 2002 when the Interim Report would be circulated to a target group for consultation. This would include the Assembly, Councils, Trade Unions, Equality Commission and others. The consultation period would run for 6 weeks. The Committee stated that in view of the legitimate interest of all departments in this matter the views of departmental committees would be sought under Standing Order 59(2). The Committee would co-ordinate committee responses and submit these to the Department. The officials informed the Committee that an analysis of all the responses would be presented to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee would then be required to give a steer to the Department's Consultants who would produce a final report.
5.4. Resolved: The Committee agreed to copy the Interim Report to other Departmental Committees and invite responses as the Report is released by the Department for consultation.
Mr Hutchinson left the meeting at 5.12 p.m.
The Chairman declared the meeting open to the public at 5.12 p.m.
6. Executive Programme Funds - Children's Fund - Public Consultation
6.1. Departmental officials Mr Rodney Scott and Mr Gary Fair attended the meeting and briefed the Committee on the public consultation relating to the management and administration arrangements for the involvement of the community and voluntary sector in the Executive Programme Fund for Children.
6.2. The officials answered questions from the Committee.
6.3. The officials briefed the Committee on the next stages of the process starting with discussions with OFMDFM later that week to form an agreed interdepartmental view of how the Fund should operate. This would be followed by discussions with the Voluntary and Community sectors on 7 March 2002, concluding with a paper to the Executive Committee. The officials advised the Committee that any fundamental changes emerging from the review of Executive Programme Funds would be taken into account before any decisions were made.
7. Committee visits.
7.1. The Clerk briefed the Committee on proposals for visits by the Committee to Westminster and the Scottish Parliament.
7.2. Resolved: The Committee agreed that arrangements should be taken forward for the proposed visits.
8. Correspondence
8.1. The Committee noted the Department's position report for the February Monitoring Round
8.2. The Committee noted the Terms of Reference for the Review of Public Administration.
8.3. Resolved: The Committee agreed to schedule this item as a substantive item at its next meeting.
8.4. The Committee noted the letter from the Minister in response to the Committee's concerns on the Department's Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) and the need for an improved format for SDAs.
8.5. The Committee noted the public consultation questionnaire for the review of the Building Regulations including Radon Gas.
8.6. Resolved: The Committee agreed to schedule this item as a substantive item at a meeting in March 2002.
8.7. The Committee noted the Department's New Targeting Social Need quarterly progress report.
8.8. Resolved: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask that future updates highlight changes between quarterly reports.
9. Any other business.
9.1. The Committee noted its updated business programme.
9.2. The Committee noted the transcript of a radio interview by the Minister of Finance and Personnel regarding Public Private Finance.
10. Next Meeting
10.1 The next meeting of the Committee was agreed as Tuesday 26 February 2002.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 5.45 p.m.
Francie Molloy
Chairman