Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2007/2008
Date: 13 May 2008
COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 14 May 2008
Room 152, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Roy Beggs MLA
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Simon Hamilton MLA
Fra McCann MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Peter Weir MLA
In Attendance:
Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Colin Jones (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Paula Sandford (Clerical Supervisor)
Chris McCreery (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
The meeting commenced at 10.04 am in open session.
1. Apologies
None.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 7 May 2008
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
3. Matters Arising
The Committee noted the outstanding requests for information from the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP).
4. Case Studies on Public Sector Jobs Location - Evidence from Facilities and Estates Division, Scottish Government
Members were briefed by Mr Ralph Garden, Head of Facilities and Estates Division, Scottish Government on the experiences in Scotland of relocation of public sector jobs. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr Weir joined the meeting at 10.10 am.
Mr McQuillan left the meeting at 10.19 am.
Mr McQuillan returned to the meeting at 10.21 am.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 10.40 am.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 10.42 am.
Agreed: that a number of papers will be provided to the Committee on issues relating to the relocation of public sector jobs in Scotland.
5. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee had previously considered the Department’s proposals for the statutory rule on The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008 on 23 April 2008 and was content with the policy implications of the proposed legislation.
The statutory rule had been included in the Fifteenth Report of Session 2007/08 by the Examiner of Statutory Rules and no issues were raised from the Examiner’s technical scrutiny.
Question put and agreed: That the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008 and has no objection to the rule.
The Committee also considered the Department’s proposals for the statutory rule on The Valuation (Water Undertaking) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008.
Agreed: that written clarification will be sought from DFP on: whether the proposed procedure of aggregation is unique to Northern Ireland Water Ltd (NIW); why only certain (as opposed to all) NIW property is proposed to be included; how it was decided which properties should be included in the single hereditament; and whether individual properties are still being individually valued and, if not, what assurances can be given as to the accuracy of the overall valuation and subsequently the rates paid by NIW.
6. Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance Briefing on Workplace 2010
The Committee took evidence from the following Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) representatives: John Corey, NIPSA General Secretary, Kieran Bannon, NIPSA Assistant General Secretary and Carmel Gates, Chairperson NIPSA Civil Service Group Executive Committee.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 10.50 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 11.04 am.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.44 am.
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 11.45 am.
Mr Hamilton returned to the meeting at 11.48 am.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 11.47 am.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 11.50 am.
Agreed: that NIPSA will provide a written response in follow up to a number of the issues discussed with the Committee. It was also agreed that written clarification will be sought from the Department on the issues raised by NIPSA at the meeting.
The meeting continued in closed session at 11.59 am.
7. Building Regulations (Amendment) Bill - Committee Stage: Consideration of Evidence
Members considered a summary analysis of the evidence received to date.
Mr McCann left the meeting at 12.02 pm.
Mr McCann returned to the meeting at 12.20 pm.
The meeting continued in open session at 12.25 pm.
8. Building Regulations (Amendment) Bill - Committee Stage: Consideration of Issues, Evidence from DFP
The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Seamus McCrystal, Head of Building Standards Branch, DFP; Hilda Hagan, Properties Division, DFP; and Gerry McKibbin, Building Regulations Branch, DFP. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Agreed: that DFP will provide a written response to a number of issues raised by the Committee.
Agreed: that the current timetable for the Bill will be revised to provide a further ‘consideration of issues’ session on 21 May and to start ‘clause-by-clause’ consideration on 28 May.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.57 pm.
Mr O’Loan returned to the meeting at 1.01 pm.
9. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence:
- DFP: Take-Up Relief;
- Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association: Small Business Rate Relief Scheme;
- The Atlantic Philanthropies - Together 4 All Family Support; and
- Sustainable Development Commission NI: Notice of Lecture on 29 May 2008.
10. Committee Work Programme
Members considered the latest draft of the Committee work programme for the period up to summer recess.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 1.05 pm.
Mr Weir returned to the meeting at 1.06 pm.
Agreed: that the meeting on 4 June 2008, which will include evidence from Sir David Varney, will be held in the Senate Chamber.
Agreed: that the latest draft of the programme will be published on the Assembly website.
11. Any Other Business
The Committee noted a press article ‘Call for Assembly to address energy problems’, from the Newsletter, Friday 25 April 2008.
12. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 21 May 2008 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.07 pm.
