PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday 14 December 1999 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings at 12.00 noon
1. Minutes of the previous meeting
2. Matters arising
3. The chairman moved to AOB at this stage
4. The Minister and senior officials joined the meeting at 12.50pm
5. The Committee discussed the matters raised with the Minister
6. Date of next meeting
Present were:
Mr D Haughey (Chairman)
Mr J Byrne
Mr D Ervine
Mr W Hay
Mr D Hussey
Mr R Hutchinson
Mr A Maginness
Mr C Murphy
In Attendance:
Mrs D Pritchard ( Committee Clerk)
Mr S Fay ( Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mrs S Young (Administrative Support)
Apologies:
Mr A Mc Farland (Deputy Chairman)
Rt Hon J D Taylor MP
Mr J Wells
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 12.08 pm.
1. Minutes of the previous meeting
Mr Hussey asked that his reference to his concerns about the West of the province be included in the minutes. This change was made and the minutes were agreed.
2. Matters arising
(a) Copies of declaration of interests have been circulated.
(b) The Speaker agreed that the Parliamentary Private Secretary post might cause conflict of interest. He will take advice from Counsel and respond to the Chairman.
(c) The Chairman, the Deputy Chairman and Mr Maginness held a series of briefings on 13 December 1999 concerning the Port of Belfast. They met the Minister and senior officials, representatives of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority and Londonderry Port, representatives of Belfast Harbour Users Group and Belfast Harbour Commissioners. Notes on the meetings were distributed to the Committee. Arrangements are being made for the Chairman and Deputy Chairman to meet representatives of Larne Harbour Ltd. and Belfast City Council.
Agreed: That the Department will brief all of the Committee on Tuesday 21 December 1999 at 12.00 noon.
That the Belfast Harbour Commissioners'offer of a tour of the Harbour estate should be taken up. All of the Committee should go. The Clerk will arrange.
(d) The Chairman has written to the Speaker about the concerns expressed in relation to the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
(e) The Clerk of Committees will provide the details of funding for Committees. These will be circulated to Members.
3. The chairman moved to AOB at this stage.
Climate Change Levy (CCL).
The Chairman has met with representatives of Keyspan who believe that a separate case in relation to CCL should be made for Northern Ireland. A paper on the levy has been distributed.
Agreed: The Chairman will write to the Chairs of the Environment and Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committees and to the Minister of Regional Development with a view to engaging the support of all interested Committees and Ministers to lobby the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the matter.
4. The Minister and senior officials joined the meeting at 12.50pm.
The Chairman welcomed the Minister and his officials.
The Minister made a presentation on the main functions of the Department and the main short and long-term issues. He referred specifically to the following matters;
- Energy;
- His opposition to the privatisation of the Water Service;
- Possible legislation on concessionairy fares;
- Targeting social need;
- A robust equality programme;
- City visions - on which the Minister encouraged the Committee to obtain background briefing from his officials;
- The availability of briefing for individual Committee Members if requested.
- The Minister also offered the Committee 4 seats on each of the following - the Roads Service Ministerial Advisory Board and the Water Service Ministerial Advisory Board. The Chairman will discuss this with the Committee.
5. The Committee discussed the matters raised with the Minister.
- The Minister offered to provide a report on the Department's budget and the question of additionality.
- A breakdown of the Roads Service's expenditure and spending on capital schemes was requested.
- The Minister will make available, if possible, a copy of the Department's Report on the Review of Trust Ports.
- The Minister reported that the good working relationships with the Republic of Ireland with regards to transport would continue.
- The Minister stated that his non-attendance at Executive Committee meetings would not impact on his work for the Department and would not work against its best interests.
- The Department is looking at other options for funding projects and examining models of best practice from other places.
6. Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 12 January 2000 at 10.30am in room 135.
The meeting closed at 2.15pm.