COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
NINETIETH MEETING
TUESDAY, 7 MAY 2002
COMMITTEE ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Francie Molloy (Chairman)
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Billy Bell
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)
Mr Joe Sloan (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Shauna McDaid (Executive Support)
Mr Jonathan Briggs (Administrative Support)
The Chairman declared the meeting open at 2.17 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.
The Chairman declared the meeting open to the public at 2.18 pm.
2. Apologies
2.1 Mr Roy Beggs.
3. Minutes of Proceedings
3.1 The Committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings for 30 April 2002.
Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of 30 April 2002.
4. Matters arising
4.1 The Committee discussed the response from the Minister of Finance and Personnel to the Committee in relation to the proposed increase in fees in Land Registers Northern Ireland. The Committee also discussed the outstanding response to its letter regarding further concerns it had following correspondence from another lending company about delays in Land Registers.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister to inform him of its intention to oppose increases in fees in Land Registers while the backlog in services persists and to ask for a response to its previous letter on the complaints by the Case Funding Centre.
Mr Hutchinson attended the meeting at 2.20 p.m.
4.2 The Committee noted the revised and final Service Delivery Agreement for the Department of Finance and Personnel.
4.3 The Committee noted the Assembly guidance for the appointment of specialist advisers.
4.4 The Committee noted the revised and final Departmental Position Report.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to seek clarification from the Department on the absence of resources against the North South Ministerial Council and the Civic Forum in the budget line from the 2001/02 financial year onwards. The Committee agreed to commission a research paper to support its deliberations and report on the Executive's Position Report.
4.5 The Committee discussed the letter from the Minister of Finance and Personnel regarding the unavailability of an edited version of the economic appraisal for the North/South Gas Pipeline project due to the amount of commercial in confidence information spread across the document. The Minister's offer to have officials brief the Committee on the issue was noted.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister expressing its disappointment regarding the unavailability of an edited version of the economic appraisal and accepting his offer of briefing by the officials.
The meeting adjourned for a division in the House at 2.30 p.m. and resumed at 2.55 p.m. Mr Hussey and Mr Hutchinson did not return to the meeting immediately following the adjournment. Mr Maskey and Mr Weir attended the meeting immediately following the adjournment.
5. Inquiry - European Structural Funds and Community Initiatives.
5.1 The Principal Clerk briefed the Committee on the proposed dates of 11 and 12 June 2002 and witnesses for oral evidence sessions in relation to its Inquiry.
Resolved: The Committee agreed that evidence sessions should be arranged for the 11 and 12 June.
6. Budget 2002 - Chancellor's Reinvestment and Reform Package.
6.1 The Committee noted the record of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman's meeting with the Minister on 1 May 2002 before the statements at the Odyssey Centre by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
6.2 The Committee also noted the press release by the Office of the First Minister, Deputy First Minister.
6.3 The Committee discussed the implications for resource budgeting and Departmental Expenditure Limits of the handover of security bases and prison properties.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister to ask for clarification of the timing and financial technical adjustment arrangements for the handovers and the impact on Departmental Expenditure Levels to restore and prepare sites for economic and social development.
7. Budget 2002 - Needs and Effectiveness Evaluations
7.1 Departmental officials Dr Andrew McCormick and Mr Victor Hewitt briefed the Committee on the methodology employed and the progress made on the various ongoing Needs and Effectiveness Evaluations.
Mr Bell attended the meeting at 3.12 p.m. Mr Maskey left the meeting at 3.12 p.m. Mr Hussey returned to the meeting at 3.19 p.m.
7.2 The officials advised the Committee that they would consult with the Minister about providing the Committee with an overview of the evaluation of Needs across the Departments as presented to the Executive Committee and a complete set of Departmental Position Reports.
7.3 The Committee was advised that the Needs and Effectiveness Evaluations would be presented to the Executive Committee during May, June and July. The officials could not provide details of the sequencing other than the Evaluation for Culture Arts and Leisure was likely to be presented in July.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister about its concerns on the delay in completing and publishing the evaluations and the Executive's Position Report.
Mr Attwood attended the meeting at 3.33 p.m. Mr Weir left the meeting at 3.38 p.m.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed to the public at 3.38 p.m.
8. Public Private Partnerships Working Group Report
8.1.1 Dr Andrew McCormick and Mr Victor Hewitt briefed the Committee on the content of the Public Private Partnerships Working Group's Report to the Executive. This briefing was in advance of the public consultation period, which has been approved by the Executive.
8.2 The officials also discussed the Report in the context of the developments since the Chancellor's statement in the Odyssey Centre regarding approval of the Executive's borrowing facility to fund improvements in public services and infrastructure.
8.1.2 The officials discussed the proposed Strategic Investment Body, which is expected to be established following the Odyssey Centre statements, to examine projects for investment and recommend to the Executive the best method of funding.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to commission a research paper to support its deliberation and response to the Working Group's Report
Mr Hussey left the meeting at 4.07 p.m. Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 4.12 p.m. Mr Close left the meeting at 4.15 p.m.
9. Review of Senior Civil Service
9.1 Departmental officials Mrs Carol Moore and Mr David Trelford attended the meeting and briefed the Committee on the Report by the Senior Civil Service Review Team. The Report was released to the Committee in advance of its consideration by the Executive Committee.
Mr Maskey returned to the meeting at 4.21 p.m.
9.2 The officials discussed the recommendations made in the Report and advised the Committee of proposed action to address them.
9.3 The officials advised the Committee that it was proposed to recommend to the Executive that a public consultation exercise on a limited number of the Report's recommendations should take place.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister suggesting that all the Report's recommendations should be open to public consultation and to ask when the consultation period would take place.
The Chairman declared the meeting open to the public at 4.30 pm.
10. Correspondence
10.1 The Committee considered a letter from the Minister regarding the implications of resource budgeting for Departments' Expenditure Limits.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister accepting his offer of a briefing on RAB and water/sewerage charges.
10.2 The Committee noted the Strategic and Business Plan for 2002-2005 for the Business Development Service.
10.3 The Committee noted a press article regarding proposals for Divorce Law.
10.4 The Committee considered the first Report by the Public Sector Energy Committee.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to forward copies to the other Departmental Committees and to ask the Minister whether efficient renewable energy creation should also be within PSEC's remit. The Committee also agreed to ask the Minister if there was any potential to use waste products generated by the agricultural industry in Northern Ireland to create renewable energy through 'Agricultural Digesters'
10.5 The Committee noted the Minister's letter about an extension to the GAP funding arrangements and that this issue featured in the responses to the Committee's inquiry into Structural Funds.
11. Any other business.
11.1 The Committee noted its updated business programme.
12. Date of next meeting.
12.1 The next meeting was agreed as Tuesday 14 May at 2pm.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 4.40 p.m.
Roy Beggs
Deputy Chairman