Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2011/2012
Date: 17 November 2011
Venue: 30
The meeting began at 10.05am in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of meeting held on 27 October 2011
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on 27 October were agreed
3. Chairperson’s Business
Members noted an invitation to the Chair from Ballymena Council to a Community Planning Conference on Thursday, 24 November 2011.
Members noted an invitation to the Chair from Chartered Accountants Ireland to its Annual Dinner on Friday, 25 November 2011.
Members noted letters of thanks from the Ambassador of El Salvador and the High Commissioner for the Republic of Singapore for the respective working lunches that the Committee hosted for them.
Members discussed the visit to the Oireachtas on 10 November.
Agreed: Clerk to liaise with the Clerk of the Oireachtas Committee to draft a list of issues that were discussed and then bring it to the Committees for an agreed way forward.
4. Matters Arising
Members noted a description and itinerary for the EU SME Envoy event for the afternoon’s event in the Long Gallery.
Members noted correspondence from the Consumer Council information received from heating oil companies and consumers regarding practices in the industry and a response from DETI regarding short measuring.
Agreed: To forward the information from the Consumer Council to Trading Standards to obtain its views.
Members noted a letter to the Chair from the NI Oil Federation regarding practices in the industry.
Agreed: Chair respond to Oil Federation on behalf of the Committee.
Robin Newton joined the meeting10.10am.
Members noted a briefing paper from the Department regarding its performance on payment of invoices within DFP- set targets.
Members noted a letter of thanks to the Chair from the Irish League of Credit Unions regarding the FSA Consultation on credit unions.
Members noted the Executive Summary of the Northern Ireland Knowledge Economy Index Baseline Report 2011.
Agreed: To consider the report during the Committee’s consideration of evidence from call for evidence for the Research & Development Inquiry.
5. SR 2011/367 The Debt Relief Orders (Designation of Competent Authorities) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
The Committee considered the following subordinate legislation:
SR 2011/367 The Debt Relief Orders (Designation of Competent Authorities) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
Agreed: That the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment has considered SR 2011/367 The Debt Relief Orders (Designation of Competent Authorities) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 and has no objection to the Rule.
6. Correspondence
Members noted the following items of correspondence:
- Letter from the Minister to the Chair regarding an Electricity Market Reform Seminar on Wednesday, 23 November.
- Correspondence from the Department regarding a BIS consultation for proposals to remove the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts as a NDPB and classify it as a charity.
- Correspondence from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding its inquiry into maximising the potential of creative industries .
Agreed: To forward the request to the Department and for the Department to respond directly to the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee, copying to this Committee. - Correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding the outcome of the consultation on the proposed large retail levy and the extension of the small business rates relief scheme.
Agreed: Clerk and the Chair/Deputy Chair to draft a response for consideration at next week’s meeting. - Correspondence from employees of the Social Economy Network regarding its closure.
Agreed: Chair to respond, reflecting the views that were expressed during an oral briefing from DETI. - Invitation from Queen’s University Belfast’s Students’ Union to members to a business event on Wednesday, 23 November.
- Invitation from the Utility Regulator’s office to a briefing on proposals for a cross-utility approach to network price controls, on Thursday afternoon, 24 November.
- Invitation to a breakfast event relating to the proposed All Party Group on Tourism on Monday 21 st November.
- Response from Department regarding the Moyle Interconnector.
- Response from Department regarding the consultancy company that carried out the independent review for the Go-for-It Programme.
- Correspondence from the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee regarding the World Police and Fire Games.
Agreed: To contact the delegation for the World Police and Fire Games for a possible oral briefing to the Committee.
7. Executive’s Review of the Financial Process
Members noted the written briefing.
Agreed: Clerk and the Chair/Deputy Chair to agree a response on the issue reflecting the views of the Committee and to issue the response on 18 th November .
8. Office of the EU SME Envoy for the UK
David Wilson joined the meeting at 10.20am.
Members received an oral briefing from David Wilson, Deputy Director, Enterprise Policy and Strategy, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Key issues discussed included the new network of SME envoys in the European Union, the objectives of the network and envoys and proposals for ways in which the envoys will work.
David Wilson left the meeting at 10.48am.
Sue Ramsey left the meeting at 10.48am.
9. Enterprise NI Overview
Members noted the written briefing.
10. Any other business
There were no other items of business.
11. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 24 November at 10.00am, Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 10.49am.
