COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRD MEETING
TUESDAY 17, SEPTEMBER 2002
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Francie Molloy (Chairman)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy 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)
Mr Shane Mc Ateer (Clerk)
Mr Joe Sloan (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Stephen Ball (Administrative Support)
The Chairman declared the meeting open at 2.15 p.m.
1. Apologies.
1.1 None
2. Minutes of Proceedings
2.1 The Committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings for Tuesday 10 September 2002.
Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings for Tuesday 10 September 2002.
3. Matters arising.
3.1 The Committee noted the Department of Finance and Personnel's update on its New TSN Action Plan for the quarter ended 30 June 2002.
3.2 The Committee noted the Department of Finance and Personnel's annual review of progress on implementation of its Equality Scheme.
Mr Hussey attended the meeting at 2.20 p.m.
3.3 The Committee considered the response from the Department of Finance and Personnel regarding issues in relation to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's proposed Bill Of Rights.
Resolved: The Committee sought confirmation from the Department on whether it intended to respond to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission before formalising a Committee response.
3.4 The Committee noted a brief report by Alex Lester entitled "Benefits of Industrial De-Rating".
3.5 The Committee noted the update on bids to the Executive's Position Report for Children received from the Voluntary and Community sector.
4. Review of Rating Policy
4.1 The Committee noted the report by the sub-committee of its meeting on Wednesday 11 September 2002.
Mr Close attended the meeting at 2.25 p.m.
4.2 The Committee considered the Minutes of Proceedings of the sub-committee's meeting on Wednesday 11 September 2002.
Resolved: The Committee agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of the sub-committee's meeting on Wednesday 11 September 2002.
4.3 The Committee noted the transcript of the presentation made by the CBI to the sub-committee on Wednesday 11 September 2002.
4.4 The Committee considered a proposed formal meeting and workshop in the Europa Hotel on the 23 September 2002 to deliberate on its response to the public consultation on the Review of Rating Policy.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to hold a formal meeting and workshop in closed session in the Europa Hotel, Belfast from 5.00-7.00 p.m. on 23 September 2002.
5. Public Private Partnerships - Public Consultation Exercise.
5.1 The Committee considered the report by its specialist adviser on the consultation document "Review of Opportunities for Public Private Partnerships in Northern Ireland".
Resolved: The Committee agreed to the report subject to amendments provided.
5.2 The Committee considered a draft letter to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and the Minister of Finance and Personnel in response to the public consultation on the document "Review of Opportunities for Public Private Partnerships in Northern Ireland".
Resolved: The Committee agreed to the letter subject to amendments provided.
5.3 The Committee considered a draft press release on its response to the public consultation on the document "Review of Opportunities for Public Private Partnerships in Northern Ireland".
Resolved: The Committee agreed to the press release.
5.4 The Committee noted the Chairman's speaking note on the take note debate on the document "Review of Opportunities for Public Private Partnerships in Northern Ireland" and the Executive's consultation "Financing our Future".
5.5 The Committee noted the letter from the Minister of Finance and Personnel on the proposed Bill for the Strategic Investment Board for Northern Ireland, which would take forward the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to accept the Minister's offer of a briefing on the proposed Bill.
6. Marriage Bill - Oral evidence session.
6.1 Representatives of the Religious Society of Friends, Mr R Donald Poole, Ms J Muriel Cameron and Mr Michael Andress attended the meeting and gave evidence to the Committee.
6.2 The representatives answered questions from the Committee.
Ms Lewsley left the meeting at 2.52 p.m.
7. Marriage Bill - Oral evidence session.
7.1 A representative of the Irish Council of Churches, Dr David Stevens attended the meeting and gave evidence to the Committee.
Mr Maskey attended the meeting at 3.05 p.m.
Mr Hussey left the meeting at 3.20 p.m.
7.2 Dr Stevens answered questions from the Committee.
Ms Lewsley returned to the meeting at 4.03 p.m.
8. Marriage Bill - Oral evidence session.
8.1 Representatives of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Rev Edmund Mawhinney, Rev Wilbur Graham and Rev David Mullan attended the meeting and gave evidence to the Committee.
8.2 The representatives answered questions from the Committee.
9. Marriage Bill.
9.1 The Committee noted the response from the Department of Finance and Personnel in response to queries raised by Christian Guidelines, Evangelical Alliance and CARE in their submissions to the Committee on the Bill.
9.2 The Committee noted the response from the Department of Finance and Personnel in response to queries raised by the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Irish Council of Churches and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in their submissions to the Committee on the Bill.
9.3 The Committee noted the legal advice from the Assembly Legal Adviser on the issues raised by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission regarding the competency and scope of the Bill.
9.4 The Committee noted Section 6 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 regarding the legislative competency of Bills.
10. Family Law (Divorce etc) Bill.
10.1 The Committee was briefed on issues relating to the Bill on which it may wish to seek clarification from the Department of Finance and Personnel and on issues it may wish to consider in relation to the Equality Impact Assessment and Human Rights.
10.2 The Committee considered a proposal to table a motion to request extension to the Committee Stage of the Bill to allow full consideration of the Bill.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to table a motion to extend the Committee Stage of the Bill.
11. Statutory Rule - Civil Service Injury Benefit Scheme
11.1 The Committee noted the letter from the Department about the proposed SR on the Civil Service Injury Benefit Scheme.
12. Correspondence
12.1 The Committee noted the letter from the Department about a proposed SR to amend the Civil Service Superannuation Scheme.
12.2 The Committee noted the letter from the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Mr Bell, regarding the movement of Committee Clerks.
12.3 The Committee noted the invitation from the Department to attend a seminar on Public Finance issues.
12.4 The Committee noted a copy of the evidence from the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation in relation to the Review of Rating Policy.
13. Any Other Business
13.1 The Committee considered a request from the Principal Clerk for confirmation of Members' attendance during the Committee visit to Brussels from 7 to 9 October to take evidence on the EU Structural Funds Inquiry.
13.2 The Committee noted its Business Programme.
14. Date of Next Meeting.
14.1 The Committee considered a proposal to meet in closed session in the Europa Hotel, Belfast, on Monday 23 September 2002, principally to deliberate on its response to the Review of Rating Policy.
Resolved: The Committee agreed to its next meeting in closed session in the Europa Hotel, Belfast at 5.00 p.m. on Monday 23 September 2002.
Francie Molloy
Chairman