Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2012/2013
Date: 09 May 2013
Venue: Room 30, Parliament Buildings
The meeting began at 10.06am in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Chairperson's Business
There were no papers for this agenda item.
3. Minutes of meeting held on Thursday 2 May 2013.
Members considered the draft minutes 2 May 2013.
Minutes were agreed.
4. Matters Arising
Members considered a response from the Department regarding UK City of Culture.
Agreed: to forward to Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and the Clerk of Derry City Council for information.
Members considered a response from the Department regarding Regional Aid.
Agreed: to write to the Department asking what interaction has taken place with the Business Innovation and Skills Department in relation to designating Northern Ireland as a pre-defined 'c' area under regional guidelines.
Members noted a response from the Department regarding Public Sector Renewable Generation.
Sandra Overend joined the meeting at 10.10am.
Members considered a response from Invest NI regarding the availability of industrial land in the Londonderry region.
Agreed: to forward to Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and the Clerk of Derry City Council for information.
Members considered a response from the Department regarding third sector mapping exercise.
Agreed: to write to all statutory committees to ascertain if this exercise has been extended to any other departments.
Members considered a response from the Department regarding tourism statistics.
Agreed: to include in the papers at the next meeting with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
Members considered a response from Invest NI regarding the possibilities for tendering by Northern Ireland companies.
Agreed: to forward to the Committee for Employment and Learning for information.
Paul Frew joined the meeting at 10.15am.
Steven Agnew joined the meeting at 10.15am.
Members considered a response from Invest NI regarding a Sub Regional Strategy in the North West.
Agreed: to forward to Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and the Clerk of Derry City Council for information.
Members noted a response from the Department regarding Post Project Evaluations.
Members considered a request from the Department for a copy of the letter sent to the Central Statistics Office of Ireland regarding delay in reporting tourism figures.
Agreed: to forward a copy of the letter requested to the Department.
5. Oral Briefing from Minister
The Minister and the Permanent Secretary joined the meeting at 10.19am.
Members received an oral briefing from Arlene Foster MLA, Minister for the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment and David Sterling, Permanent Secretary to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Key issues discussed included the economy, corporation tax, European funding programmes and energy including petroleum licences.
Phil Flanagan joined the meeting at 10.24am.
Sue Ramsey left the meeting at 11.56am.
Agreed: to receive regular oral briefings from the Department on key European issues including funding programmes (Horizon 2020 and COSME) and the best use of the EU database for networking.
Agreed: to receive examples on the work of InterTradeIreland on the collaboration between Northern Ireland companies and technology institutes in the Republic of Ireland under FP7.
Agreed: to receive an update on the work being carried out by the Executive Sub Committee on the Economy.
Agreed: to receive information on when the Department decided it was going to award the licence to CHX and when the Department decided to award the actual licence.
Agreed: to receive clarification on the issue of security of supply of electricity post 2015 in the next 4-6 weeks.
Agreed: to receive regular updates on the progress of the feasibility for the Rugby World Cup to be held in Ireland in 2023.
Agreed: to receive clarification if Tamboran complies with the conditions of the licence in the first stage then the Department has no grounds not to move Tamboran to the second stage.
Agreed: to forward to the Department for information a briefing paper the Momentum.
Minister and the Permanent Secretary left the meeting at 11.58am
6. Invest NI Performance 2012/13 - Oral Briefing from Invest NI
Representatives joined the meeting at 12.00pm.
Members received an oral briefing from Alastair Hamilton, CEO, Invest NI and Mark Ennis, Chair, Invest NI.
Key issues discussed included: 2012/13 performance figures and future projections, support for SMEs and job creation.
Robin Newton left the meeting at 12.29pm.
Stephen Moutray left the meeting at 12.31pm.
The Chairperson left the meeting at 12.40pm.
The deputy Chairperson took the Chair at 12.40pm.
Alban Maginness left the meeting at 12.58pm.
Agreed: to receive further information and breakdown on the funding for Research and Development to SMEs of 250 people and below.
Agreed: to receive a copy of the European Sustainable Development 2007-2013 booklet.
Representatives left the meeting at 1.22pm.
Agreed: to receive from the Department an update on the development of the recommendations from the Committee's inquiry into development the Northern Ireland Economy through Innovation, Research & Development.
7. Subordinate Legislation: SL1 The Weights and Measures (Specified Quantities) (Unwrapped Bread and Intoxicating Liquor) Order (Northern Ireland) 2013
Members considered a proposal for subordinate legislation from the Department.
Agreed: to write to the Department seeking further clarification as to the purpose of the statutory rule with regards to the quantities that the products concerned may be offered for sale.
8. Correspondence
Members noted the following items of correspondence for action
i. From the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding Subsidiarity, Proposal for a Regulation on measures to reduce the cost of deploying high speed electronic communications networks.
Agreed: to forward to the Department for comment.
Members noted the following items of correspondence
ii. From the Maritime and Coastguard Agency regarding Merchant Shipping (Weighing of Goods Vehicles and other Cargo) Regulations 1988.
9. Any other business
Agreed: for the Clerk to make inquiries regarding the effective questioning workshops.
10. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on 16 May 2013 at 10.00am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 1.29pm.
