Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2007/2008
Date: 20 May 2008
COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 21 May 2008
Room 152, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
Roy Beggs MLA
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Simon Hamilton MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
Adrian McQuillan 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:
Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Fra McCann MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Dawn Purvis MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.06 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
Agreed: that the evidence from Professor Sir George Bain on the emerging findings from the review panel on public sector jobs location will be covered by Hansard and the Official Report published on the Assembly website.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 14 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).
Members also noted the follow up papers from the Northern Ireland Public Sector Alliance (NIPSA) on Workplace 2010 and considered a draft letter to the Minister of Finance and Personnel, seeking a response to the key issues highlighted by NIPSA during last week’s briefing to the Committee on Workplace 2010.
Agreed: that the correspondence will issue to the Minister.
Mr Weir joined the meeting at 10.10 am.
The Committee considered DFP’s response to the Committee’s queries on the proposed Valuation (Water Undertaking) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Agreed: that the Committee is content with the policy implications of the proposed Valuation (Water Undertaking) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 at this stage.
4. Building Regulations (Amendment) Bill 2008 – Committee Stage: Consideration of Issues and Evidence from DFP
Mr Hamilton joined the meeting at 10.16 am.
The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Seamus McCrystal, Head of Building Standards Branch; Hilda Hagan, Properties Division; and Gerry McKibbin, Building Regulations Branch. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr Beggs declared an interest as a member of Carrickfergus Borough Council and as a representative of Carrickfergus Borough Council on the North Eastern Area Group Building Control Committee.
5. Emerging Findings from the Review Panel on Public Sector Jobs Location
The Committee took evidence from Professor Sir George Bain, Chairperson of the Review Panel. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr McQuillan left the meeting at 12.15 pm.
Ms McCann left the meeting at 12.16 pm.
Ms McCann joined the meeting at 12.22 pm.
6. Presumption of Death Bill – Consultation Report: Evidence from DFP
The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Oswyn Paulin, Departmental Solicitor and Head of the Government Legal Service; and Neil Lambe, Principal Legal Officer, Civil Law Reform Division, Departmental Solicitor’s Office. The session was recorded by Hansard.
The Committee noted that the Executive will be considering a revised Bill in June and that a further briefing for the Committee was therefore scheduled before summer recess, prior to the Bill being introduced to the Assembly.
Mr McQuillan joined the meeting at 12.27 pm.
7. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence:
- Participation Network: Request to brief the Committee;
Agreed : that Participation Network will be asked to make a written submission on the areas of its work which are relevant to the remit of DFP; - Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (CETI): Reconnect Household Energy Scheme ;
- DFP: Follow up to scrutiny of Land and Property Services (LPS) briefing on 9 April 2008;
Agreed: that the Committee will request a briefing from the Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit once it has completed its work in LPS; - DFP: Summary Report of Monitoring Round Activity 2007/08;
- DFP: CETI Credit Union Inquiry response;
- DFP: Review of Domestic Rating - Consultation paper on the Rating of Empty Homes;
Agreed : that a DFP briefing on the rating policy areas to be consulted on will be arranged and that the Committee will then consider the outcomes of the various consultations on their completion after summer recess; - DFP: Response to Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister enquiry into the Maze/Long Kesh Regeneration Site; and
- DFP: Update on Review of Financial Management in Northern Ireland Departments - PKF Action Plan .
8. Committee Work Programme
Members considered the latest draft of the Committee work programme for the period up to summer recess.
Agreed: that the latest draft of the programme will be published on the Assembly website.
9. Any Other Business
Members considered a press cutting on back pay to address inequality in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
Agreed: that a written submission will be requested from DFP.
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 28 May 2008 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.40 pm.
