Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting began at 10.01am in public session.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

Maeve McLaughlin joined the meeting at 10.02am.

2. Chairperson’s Business

Members considered Departmental outstanding responses arising from previous meetings.

Agreed: the Chair to meet with the Permanent Secretary to discuss outstanding responses.

Members noted the invitation to the Chair to attend the NICVA economic conference.

Agreed: for Chair to represent the Committee at the conference.

Members noted the change to the launch of the Momentum NI report.

Sandra Overend jointed the meeting at 10.04am

Gordon Dunne joined the meeting at 10.04am

3. Minutes of meeting held on 25 October 2012

Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on 25 October were agreed.

4. Matters Arising

Members noted the response from the Department to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety regarding tackling inequalities.

Members discussed the response from the Department to the Committee’s query regarding inclusion of creationism in the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre.

Sue Ramsey joined the meeting at 10.06am

Robin Newton left the meeting at 10.06am

Agreed: to refer the question back to the Department for a more detailed response.

Members discussed the response from the Department to the Committee’s query on the potential impact on tourism of a national park.

Agreed: to forward the response to the Committee for the Environment for information.

Members considered the response from the Department to a query on the management of the Growth Fund for SMEs.

Agreed: to receive a further breakdown of the bid in relation to management costs and clarification whether the bid to manage the £5m small business loans is part of the £5m budget or is additional.

Members discussed additional information received from Michael D’Arcy following his presentation to the Committee on the 25 October.

Agreed: to forward the information to the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development.

Robin Newton returned to the meeting at 10.09am.

5. Small Business Research Initiative: Oral Briefing from Technology Strategy Board

Representatives joined the meeting at 10.10am.

Phil Flanagan joined the meeting at 10.20am

Key issues discussed included: the aims of SBRI, raising the profile with SMEs and collaboration across the UK.

Sue Ramsey left the meeting at 10.46am

Agreed: a Committee Motion for debate in Plenary.

Representatives left the meeting at 10.59am

Alban Maginness left the meeting at 11.00am.

6. Response to the Inquiry into Research & Development: Oral Briefing from DETI

Officials joined the meeting at 11.00am.

Key issues discussed included: the development of the R&D Strategy, cross-departmental collaboration, access to finance strategy and technical assistance.

Sue Ramsey returned to the meeting at 11.12am

Sandra Overend left the meeting at 11.17am

Agreed: to received details of progress on the Permanent Secretary’s engagement with CPD and other departments.

Agreed: to receive details on the implementation of the recommendations in the Inquiry Report to the Committee by the end of the year.

Agreed: to receive a full breakdown of the £200m economic investment announcement.

Officials left the meeting at 11.43am.

7. Subordinate legislation SL1: The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013

Members discussed the subordinate legislation.

Agreed: to seek further views on the proposed legislation from HSENI, Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

8. Subordinate legislation: SL1: The Health & Safety (Miscellaneous Revocations) regulations (NI) 2012

Members discussed the subordinate legislation and had no objections to the policy implications of the proposed legislation at this stage.  

9. The Financial Conduct Authority: Report on “Consumer Focus” Event

Members noted the Financial Conduct Authority Report.

10. Correspondence

Members noted the following items of correspondence for action from:

i. NIE Regarding a proposed visit to Craigavon Control Centre.

Agreed: to include in the future work programme.

ii. Committee for the Environment regarding Retail Planning in Border Areas Event.

Agreed: to forward to the Department for information.

iii. Department, regarding a review of the Consumer Council.

Agreed: to forward to the relevant Statutory Committees.

iv. from the Motor Home Association regarding Motor Home Tourism.

Agreed: to forward to the Department for comment.

Members noted the following items of correspondence:

v. From the Committee for Justice regarding the consultation on Gender Neutral Insurance Benefits and Premiums.

12. Any other business

There were no additional items of business.

13. Date, time and place of next meeting 

The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 15 November 2012 at 10.00pm, Room 30, Parliament Buildings

The meeting moved into closed session at 11.52am.

14. Potential Witnesses for Scrutiny of NI Economic Strategy

Members considered the briefing.

Agreed: to obtain additional options from Assembly Research.

Maeve McLaughlin left the meeting at 11.59pm.

The Chair adjourned the meeting at 12.00pm.

Mr Patsy McGlone
Chair, Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment
15 November 2012