Minutes of Proceedings

COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Wednesday 2 nd April 2008
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: 
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
John Dallat MLA
William Irwin MLA
John McCallister MLA
Raymond McCartney MLA
Stephen Moutray MLA
George Robinson MLA
Jim Wells MLA

In Attendance: 
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Sinead Nash (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Pauline Devlin (Clerical Supervisor)
Annette Page (Clerical Officer)
Stephanie Galbraith (Researcher)

Apologies: 
Willie Clarke MLA
Brian Wilson MLA

The Committee decided to hold the meeting in open session.

The meeting opened at 10.45 a.m. in open session.

1. Apologies.

Apologies were received from Willie Clarke and Brian Wilson.

2. Draft Minutes of the meetings of 12 March 2008.

The minutes of the meetings held on 12 March 2008 were agreed.

3. Matters Arising.

Members noted information supplied by Translink following its briefing on 23 January 2008, and agreed to seek clarification on recent media reports that the Belfast Dublin rail line required investment in the order of £500 million.

Members notedthe position paper on taxis by IMTAC and agreed to forward the paper to the Department for Regional Development for comment.

William Irwin joined the meeting at 10.48 a.m.

Members noted the letter from the Minister for Regional Development on the Accessible Transport Strategy Action Plan. Members agreed to further consider this piece of correspondence as part of their consideration of the draft Action Plan at the meeting of 9 April 2008.

Members noted a press release from the Department of Finance and Personnel regarding a proposed rates revaluation of commercial properties. Members agreed to seek information from the Department for Regional Development on how this may impact on water and sewerage charges.

4. Committee Response to the draft Speed Management Policy.

John McCallister joined the meeting at 11.03 a.m.

Members considered a draft response to the Department on the draft Speed Management Policy, and decided to invite officials to answer Members queries at the meeting of 9 April 2008.

Stephen Moutray joined the meeting at 11.30 a.m.

5. Forward Work Programme April – July 2008.

Members agreedtheir Forward Work Programme to the end of April 2008, and agreed that it be published on the Committee web pages.

Members agreed that, in the allocation of Committee time, priority would be given to issues around water and sewerage services and the ongoing development of ports policy. The Committee decided to schedule quarterly briefing from the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, the Department and the Northern Ireland Water on regulatory and performance management issues in the provision of water and sewerage services.

Members noted a draft handling plan for their scrutiny of rural transport. Members agreed to initiate preliminary work on an inquiry in the area of environmental impacts of public transport.

6. Proposed Reapportionment of Costs in Northern Ireland Water.

Members noted receipt of the uncorrected Hansard transcripts from the evidence sessions with Department for Regional Development officials, Northern Ireland Water and the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation at the Committee meeting of 12 March 2008.

Members had a number of areas where clarification was sought and Members agreed to seek briefing from the Department for Regional Development officials on these outstanding issues. The Committeeagreed to forward questions to the Committee office for submission to the Department for written response.

7. Subordinate Legislation

Members noted the following new SL1s received:

• The Waiting Restrictions (Moneyglass) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Parking Places on Roads (Newry) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Parking and Waiting Restrictions ( Belfast) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Glencam Road, Omagh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Waiting Restrictions (Warrenpoint) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Loading Bays on Roads (Amendment No.6) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Loading Bays on Roads (Amendment No.7) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008; and
• The Road Races (Dungannon Bush) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

Having noted additional information received from the Department on the Trunk Road T8 (A31) Magherafelt Bypass Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008, Members indicated that they were content with the following SL1s noted at the meeting of 12 March 2008:

• The College Park, Belfast (Footpath) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
• The Trunk Road T8 (A31) Magherafelt Bypass Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

Members noted receipt of the following Statutory Rule which is not subject to any Assembly procedure:

• The Road Races (Circuit of Ireland International Rally) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

Members noted the following Statutory Rule subject to negative resolution. The Examiner of Statutory Rules will forward his report before the end of the statutory period.

• 2008/14 - M2/A26 ( Ballee Road East Link) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

Members noted receipt of the twelfth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees, which was published on 12 March 2008. In the absence of any objections, the following questions were put and agreed:

That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2008/63 The Traffic Signs (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and has no objection to the rule.”

All those in favour: Fred Cobain, John Dallat, Raymond McCartney, Cathal Boylan, John McCallister, Jim Wells, George Robinson, William Irwin, Stephen Moutray.

All those against: None

That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2008/78 The Penalty Charges (Additional Contravention) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and has no objection to the rule.

All those in favour: Fred Cobain, John Dallat, Raymond McCartney, Cathal Boylan, John McCallister, Jim Wells, George Robinson, William Irwin, Stephen Moutray.

All those against: None

Members instructed the Clerk to notify the Business Office on the decisions reached by the Committee in considering these Statutory Rules .

8. Correspondence

The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:

• Letter dated 29 February 2008 from Bob Stronge, Director of Advice NI enclosing a copy of the Advice NI news letter.

• Letter dated 11 March 2008 from William Wright, Group Director of the Wright Group commenting on proposals for a light rail system in Belfast. Members decided to write to Mr William Wright thanking him for his letter.

• Email dated 14 March 2008 inviting Members to attend the Inaugural lecture of Prof George Hutchinson, entitled “Sustainable Production: adjusting for un-priced impacts on environment, health and wellbeing”. Members agreed to contact the Committee office should they wish to attend.

• Letter dated 14 March 2008 from the Belfast Metropolitan Residents Group (BMRG) commenting on the reapportionment of costs by Northern Ireland Water (NIW).

Members agreed to forward this letter to the Department for information.

• Letter dated 14 March from Mrs Karen Magill, Chief Executive of the Federation of Passenger Transport (FPT), requesting a meeting with the Chairperson of the Regional Development Committee. The Committee agreed that the Chairperson would meet with Mrs Magill.

• Letter dated 20 March 2008 from DALO Una Downey to DALO Alan Doherty in response to Members request for further clarification in relation to health and safety on school buses at the Committee meeting held on 5 March 2008.

• Letter dated 21 March 2008 from DALO, Alan Doherty outlining the timetable for the Executive’s consideration and public consultation on the Strand Two Report. Members agreed to pursue this matter further.

• Letter dated 21 March 2008 from the Utility Regulator to NIW setting out their approval of the scheme of charges for non-domestic customers.

• Letter dated 27 March 2008 from DALO, Alan Doherty regarding Ports Policy, in response to Members’ request for clarification. Members decided to follow up on this issue when officials brief the Committee on 23 April 2008.

• Letter dated 27 March 2008 from Conor Murphy MP, MLA regarding the appointments of non-executive directors to the board of NIW.

Jim Wells left the meeting at 12.13 p.m.

• Pamphlet inviting Members to attend a conference entitled, “Transport Ireland: Towards a Modern and Sustainable Transport Future”, to be held on Wednesday 14 May 2008 in Croke Park Conference Centre, Dublin. Members expressed interest in attending this conference, agreed to check their availability and decided to return to the issue at the meeting of 9 April 2008.

The Committee noted the following press releases:

• Press release dated 21 March 2008 from the Utility Regulator regarding the approval of charges for NI Water’s non-domestic customers.

• Press release dated 31 March 2008 from Northern Ireland water regarding water charging for non-domestic customers which began on 1 April 2008.

10. Any Other Business.

There was no other business.

11. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting.

The next meeting will be at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday 9 April 2008 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.17 pm. 

Signed:
FRED COBAIN MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development