Minutes of Proceedings

Session: 2009/2010

Date: 29 June 2010

COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS 
WEDNESDAY, 30 JUNE 2010
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Ms Jennifer McCann MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA 
Dr Stephen Farry MLA 
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA 
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin MLA
Mr Adrian McQuillan MLA 
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA 
Ms Dawn Purvis MLA

In Attendance: 
Mr Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk) 
Miss Karen Jardine (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Kathy O’Hanlon (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Miss Leanne Johnston (Clerical Supervisor) 
Mr Dominic O’Farrell (Clerical Officer)

Apologies: 
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

The meeting commenced at 10.04 am in open session.

1. Apologies

There was one apology, as detailed above.

2. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 23 June 2010

Agreed: that the minutes are published on the Assembly website.

Agreed: that the evidence sessions 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 the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) which provided an update on any matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda.

Rating of Empty Homes

The Committee noted the response from DFP to issues raised by members regarding the introduction of the policy of rating of empty homes.

Eighteenth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules

The Committee noted that the Eighteenth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules confirmed that there were no issues to note by way of technical scrutiny with regard to the Rate Relief (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, which was considered by the Committee on 23 June 2010.

4. Second Report on the Budget Scrutiny Inquiry

The meeting moved into closed session at 10:08 am.

The Committee undertook paragraph-by-paragraph consideration of its draft Second Report on the Inquiry into the Role of the Northern Ireland Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure.

Agreed: that paragraphs 1-5 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 6-7 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that the following sentence is added to paragraph 13:

“The Committee considers this should have been the case as a matter of course.”

Agreed: that “and robust” is added to paragraph 14;

Agreed: that paragraphs 8-14 as amended stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 15-19 stand part of the Report;

Mr McQuillan joined the meeting at 10.14am.

Agreed: that paragraph 25 is amended to refer to “regularised annual budgetary review process”;

Agreed: that paragraphs 20-28 as amended stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that the following sentence is added to paragraph 37:

“The Committee found that good practice would indicate a period of 2-4 months should be provided for in this regard”.

Agreed: that paragraphs 29-37 as amended stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 38-42 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 43-46 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 47-51 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 52-56 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 57-60 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that the following sentence is added to paragraph 63:

“The Committee also recommends that departments should publish the results of the equality screening undertaken in respect of each spending proposal in fulfilment of the duties imposed by Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.”

Agreed: that paragraphs 61-63 as amended stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 64-66 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 67-71 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 72-79 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 80-85 stand part of the Report, with a minor amendment to paragraph 82;

Agreed: that paragraph 86 stands part of the Report;

Agreed: that the final sentence in paragraph 88 is amended as follows:

“As such, the Committee believes that the Executive must bring forward proposals for improving the arrangements both for promoting and funding collaborative working by departments and other public bodies and for measuring and monitoring performance in this area.”

Agreed: that paragraphs 87-88 as amended stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraphs 89-91 stand part of the Report, with a minor amendments to paragraphs 89 and 91;

Dr Farry left the meeting at 10.28am. 
Mr Craig left the meeting at 10.28am.

Agreed: that paragraph 92 stands part of the Report;

Agreed: that paragraph 93 stands part of the Report;

Mr McCann left the meeting at 10.29am.

Agreed: that paragraphs 94-101 stand part of the Report;

Agreed: that the Executive Summary stands part of the Report, with a minor amendment to the penultimate paragraph.

The Committee noted the response on the Inquiry from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (COFMDFM).

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 is checked by the Chairperson and included in Appendix 1;

Agreed: that the Report, as amended, be the Fourth Report of the Committee for Finance and Personnel to the Assembly for session 2009/10;

Agreed: that the Second Report on the Inquiry into the Role of the Northern Ireland Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure 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 draft motion to debate the Report in plenary:

“That this Assembly approves the Second Report of the Committee for Finance and Personnel on its Inquiry into the Role of the Northern Ireland Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure; and calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel, in conjunction with Executive colleagues, to implement, as applicable, the recommendations contained therein”.

The Committee noted that, in line with normal protocol, the Report will be embargoed until the date of the debate in plenary.

The Committee noted that, arising from the research undertaken for the Inquiry, the Assembly Researcher, Colin Pidgeon, had been invited to make a written submission to the Australian Sentate’s Parliamentary Office Bill 2010.

Agreed : that an embargoed copy of the Committee’s Report could be forwarded to the Australian Senate as part of the Researcher’s forthcoming submission.

Members discussed preparations for the Third Report on the Budget Scrutiny Inquiry, which would focus on the resources available for supporting Assembly committees and Members in undertaking budget and financial scrutiny. The Committee staff would continue drafting the report for consideration by the Committee following summer recess.

Agreed : the broad basis for the Committee’s forthcoming recommendations and upon which the Third Report will be prepared.

The meeting moved into open session at 10.35am.

5. Public Procurement in NI – Response to Inquiry Report (DFP Evidence Session)

The Committee took evidence on the DFP response to its Inquiry Report on Public Procurement in NI from the following officials: Stephen Peover, DFP Permanent Secretary; Des Armstrong, Director, Central Procurement Directorate, DFP and Member of the Procurement Board; Tony Doran, External Member of the Procurement Board; Stuart Cairns, External Member of the Procurement Board. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.

Mr Hamilton joined the meeting at 11.12am.
Mr McQuillan left the meeting at 11.15am.

Agreed: that the DFP officials will review the target dates in the Procurement Board Action Plan in order to achieve more prompt implementation and will provide further information as requested by the Committee during the evidence session. The Committee will also forward any additional issues not covered during the evidence session to DFP for written response.

Agreed: that the Procurement Board Action Plan will be published on the Committee’s website.

Agreed: that Committee staff will prepare a feature article on the outcome of the Inquiry for distribution to the media.

Agreed: that the draft press release is issued.

6. Budget Issues (DFP Evidence Session)

The Committee took evidence from the following DFP officials: Michael Brennan, Head of Central Expenditure Division, Central Finance Group (CFG); Joanne McBurney, Central Expenditure Division, CFG; and Deborah McNeilly, Finance Director, Corporate Services Group. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.

A range of issues were discussed, including: the implications for Northern Ireland of the UK Emergency Budget; Provisional Outturn figures for 2009-10; the Budget 2010 process and Savings Delivery Plans; and the draft DFP position for Budget 2010.

Mr McQuillan returned to the meeting at 11.44am.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.44am.
Ms Purvis left the meeting at 11.44am.
Mr McCann returned to the meeting at 11.50am.

Agreed: that the Committee will forward any additional issues not covered during the evidence session to DFP for written response.

The Committee agreed to take Subordinate Legislation as its next item of business.

7. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee considered the following proposal from DFP for subordinate legislation:

  • The Building (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010

Agreed: that the Committee for Finance and Personnel has considered DFP’s proposal for subordinate legislation under The Building (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.

The Committee agreed to take Correspondence as its next item of business.

The Committee also agreed that, in advance of the evidence session on Equal Pay Issues, it would share the briefing paper from the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) on this matter with the DFP officials attending the evidence session. It was also agreed that the briefing paper provided by DFP for this session would be copied to NIPSA for information.

8. Correspondence

The Committee considered the following correspondence:

  • Assembly Research paper: Support Provisions for Carers
    Agreed: the Committee will take an oral briefing on the Research paper in the autumn session.
  • Committee for Regional Development: Northern Ireland Water
    Agreed: to copy the response to Quigg Golden Ltd.
  • Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure: Accessibility of Local Government Owned Art
    Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP as requested;
  • DFP News Release: “Number of People Living in Northern Ireland Continues to Grow”.
  • COFMDFM: Europe 2020 Strategy and the European Commission Work Programme
  • COFMDFM: Departmental meeting with Irish Bank Officials Association.
  • COFMDFM: Assessment of Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB) in relation to its co-ordination role for EU programmes.
    Agreed: to notify COFMDFM that this matter will be considered during the evidence session with SEUPB which is scheduled for the autumn session.
  • COFMDFM: United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
  • Construction Employers Federation (CEF): Committee Meeting Request
    Agreed: to take oral evidence from CEF in the autumn session. In the meantime, the Committee will request a copy of the most recent CEF update for information.
  • DFP – Prompt Payment of Subcontractors
    Agreed: to copy to other statutory committees, advising that they will be kept informed of further work undertaken by the Committee with regard to this matter.
  • Committee for Enterprise, Trade & Investment (CETI): Major Fuel Suppliers in NI
    Agreed: the Committee is content for CETI to take the lead on this issue, in accordance with Standing Order 64(A).
  • Committee for the Environment: Recommendations arising from Stakeholder Event
    Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP as requested.
  • Committee for the Environment: Payment of invoices within 10 days.
    Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP as requested.
  • Committee for Social Development: Funding of Mortgage Rescue Scheme.
    Agreed: to forward the correspondence to DFP as requested.
  • CETI: Proposed joint committee meeting local banking representatives. 
    Agreed: to notify CETI of concerns raised by members during previous evidence sessions on banking issues. 
    Agreed: to inform the joint committee meeting, a request will be made for additional background information from Church leaders to their recent press release, “Churches say jobs and businesses at risk because of behaviour of banks”.
9. Equal Pay Issues (DFP Briefing)

The Committee took evidence from Derek Baker, Director of Personnel for the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS), Corporate HR; Mark Bailey, HR Manager, Corporate HR, DFP, in response to concerns raised by members with regard to issues arising from the NICS Equal Pay settlement. The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.

The Committee noted the briefing paper from NIPSA on this matter.

10. Committee Work Programme

Members considered a draft of the Committee work programme for the autumn session.

Construction Contracts (Amendment) Bill

Members noted that no responses had been received to the consultation on the Construction Contracts (Amendment) Bill, despite notification of the call for evidence being issued directly to key stakeholders. Members also noted that the Research paper on the Bill, which will include identifying any issues raised in the GB consultation that could potentially be applicable to Northern Ireland, will be considered by the Committee in the autumn session.

Agreed: that the Research paper is copied to DFP over summer recess, to enable the Department to provide a response in time for the Committee’s return in September.

Agreed: that the work programme is published on the website.

11. Any Other Business
12. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 8 September 2010 at 10.00am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting ended at 12.38pm.

Jennifer McCann, Chairperson
Committee for Finance and Personnel
8 September 2010

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