Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2009/2010
Date: 01 June 2010
COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 02 JUNE 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Ms Jennifer McCann MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin MLA
Mr Adrian McQuillan
Mr Declan O’Loan
In Attendance:
Mr Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Miss Karen Jardine (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Kathy O’Hanlon (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr David McKee (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Dominic O’Farrell (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr David McNarry (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Dawn Purvis MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.07 am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 26 May 2010
Agreed: that the minutes are published on the Assembly website.
Agreed: that the evidence sessions with Department of Finance and Personnel officials at Agenda items 5, 6 and 8 are recorded by Hansard and the Official Reports published on the website.
3. Matters Arising
Composite Request
The Committee noted the composite request for information from DFP which provided an update on any matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
Building Regulations
The Committee noted the follow up correspondence from DFP to the evidence session on Building Regulations on 26 May.
The Committee moved into closed session at 10.08am.
4. Committee Inquiry into Public Sector Efficiencies - Consideration of draft Report
The Committee undertook a paragraph-by-paragraph consideration of its draft Report on the Preliminary Inquiry into Public Sector Efficiencies.
Agreed: that paragraphs 1-18 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 19-33 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 34-40 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 41-55 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 56-60 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 61-75 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 76-93 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 94-104 stand part of the Report;
Mr McQuillan joined the meeting at 11.14am.
Agreed: that paragraphs 105-108 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 109-116 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 117-126 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 127-139 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 140-158 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 159-166 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraph 167 stands part of the Report subject to amendment, including the addition of the following sentence to the end of the paragraph: “The Committee will wish to monitor progress in this area over the coming months”.
Agreed: that the draft NICS Accommodation Plan and the Hansard of the evidence session on this matter will be included in the appendices to the Report.
Agreed: that paragraphs 168-187 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 188-193 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that paragraphs 194-215 stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that the Executive Summary, with minor amendments, stands part of the Report;
The Committee noted a response from the Committee for Social Development regarding its Department’s use of the services provided by the Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit (PEDU).
Agreed: that the correspondence is included in the evidence base of the Inquiry Report.
Agreed: that the Appendices stand part of the Report;
Agreed: that the extract of the unapproved Minutes of Proceedings of today’s meeting will be checked by the Chairperson and included in Appendix 1;
Agreed: that the Report, as amended, be the Third Report of the Committee for Finance and Personnel to the Assembly for session 2009/10;
Agreed: that the Report on the Preliminary Inquiry into Public Sector Efficiencies be printed.
Members noted that, in line with normal protocol, a typescript copy of the Report will be issued to DFP and two typescript copies will be laid in the Business Office in advance of printed copies being made available.
The Committee agreed the following revised draft motion to debate the Report in plenary:
“That this Assembly approves the report of the Committee for Finance and Personnel on its preliminary Inquiry into Public Sector Efficiencies; and calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel, in conjunction with Executive colleagues, to implement, as applicable, the recommendations contained therein.”
The Committee moved to open session at 10.31am.
5. Budget (No. 3) Bill 2010 – Main Estimates 2010/11 (DFP Evidence Session)
The Committee held an evidence session with the following DFP officials: Michael Brennan, Head of Central Expenditure Division, Central Finance Group; Agnes Lennon, Central Expenditure Division, Central Finance Group.
The Committee noted the Minister of Finance and Personnel’s request for the Committee’s agreement to use the accelerated passage procedure for the Budget (No. 3) Bill. Members also noted the request for the Committee’s support for the proposed suspension of Standing Orders to remove Further Consideration Stage and the minimum 10-day period for the passage of a Bill.
The Committee considered a briefing note from the Clerk Assistant on the potential procedural implications of a decision to suspend Standing Orders.
Agreed: that the Clerk Assistant will give an oral briefing on this issue at the Committee’s meeting on 9 June.
Agreed: that the Committee will draw the attention of the Committee for Employment and Learning and the Committee for the Environment to the Excess Votes for their respective departments.
Agreed: that the Committee will defer its decisions on the requests for accelerated passage for the Bill and support for the suspension of Standing Orders until its next meeting on 9 June.
Agreed: that the Committee will write to the Minister of Finance and Personnel to seek assurances regarding improved consultation and transparency in respect of future budget processes. The Committee will request an urgent response to help inform its decisions with regard to accelerated passage and support for the suspension of Standing Orders.
6. June Monitoring Round – Departmental Position (DFP Evidence Session)
Members received evidence from the following DFP officials: Deborah McNeilly, Finance Director, Corporate Services Group; Adrian Doherty, Finance Branch, Corporate Services Group.
Agreed: that the DFP officials will provide further information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session
7. Assembly Research Briefing: Considerations on a Central Budget Committee
The Committee received a briefing from Assembly Research on “Considerations on a Central Budget Committee”.
Agreed: that the Committee will give further consideration to the concept of a Central Budget Committee in its forthcoming reports on the Inquiry into the Role of the Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure.
The Committee also noted the Assembly Research paper “Resources for Budget scrutiny: preliminary assessment of option costs”.
Mr McCann left the meeting at 11.25am.
Mr McCann returned to the meeting at 11.30am.
8. Outcome of Consultation on Multiple Deprivation Measures (Briefing by Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA))
The Committee received a briefing from the following NISRA officials: Dr Norman Caven, Registrar General; Dr David Marshall, Demography and Methodology Branch; and Cathryn McBurney, Demography and Methodology Branch.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.53am.
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 12.10pm.
Agreed: that the NISRA officials will provide further information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session
9. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee considered the following proposal from DFP for subordinate legislation: The Census Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010.
Dr Norman Caven, Registrar General; and Robert Beattie, Head of Census, provided clarification on the provisions of the proposed regulations.
Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered DFP’s proposal for subordinate legislation under The Census Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.
10. Correspondence
The Committee considered the following correspondence:
- DFP: Directorate Balanced Scorecards 2010-11.
- DFP: Europe 2020 Strategy.
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
- DFP: Letter from Stephen Peover to Declan O’Loan MLA on the Economic Reform Group NI Corporation Tax Report.
- DFP: External Advisors.
- Monitoring Rounds 2010-11 – indicative return dates.
- Committee for Regional Development: Timing of the September 2010 Monitoring Roundreturns.
- Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure: Timing of the September 2010 Monitoring Round returns.
Agreed: to encourage DFP to consider changing the date for the September 2010 Monitoring Round returns to 10 September.
- Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety: Sunbeds Bill
Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP with a request to be copied into any response.
- Committee for Justice: Tribunal Reform Programme Consultation
Agreed: to consider a draft response at the Committee’s meeting on 9 June.
- DFP News Release: Population Growth Expected to be Strongest in West & South of Northern Ireland
- Devolution in Sight: Annual Report of the Lay Observer for Northern Ireland
- DFP: Review of 2008-11 Budget Process
- DFP: Forthcoming Budget Process 2010-11
- DFP: Prompt Payment of Invoices
- Community Foundation for Northern Ireland: Meeting Request (Participatory Budgeting)
Agreed: members will respond to the request directly.
11. Committee Work Programme
Members considered the current draft of the Committee work programme until June 2010.
Members noted that an Assembly Commission Bill to repeal existing legislation and pave the way for changes to winding up, ill-health retirement and resettlement allowances for MLAs may be referred to the Committee. It may therefore be necessary to schedule an evidence session on this matter for 16 June.
Agreed: that the draft work programme is amended to reflect decisions made by the Committee, and the revised work programme is published on the website.
12. Any Other Business
INTERREG IVA
The Chairperson notified members that the meeting with the Minister of Finance and Personnel on matters relating to the implementation of INTERREG IVA Programme that she and the Deputy Chairperson were scheduled to attend on 1 June, along with the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, was postponed until 7 June.
Children’s budgeting issues
The Chairperson informed members that she had been requested to represent the Committee at a seminar on children’s budgeting issues, which is being organised by Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI) on behalf of the All Party Assembly Group on Children and Young People.
Agreed: to copy the report on the DFP Review of the Executive’s 2008-11 Budget Process to CiNI as requested.
13. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 9 June 2010 at 10.00 am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting ended at 12.26pm.
