Research Papers 2012
Synopsis: Here you will find a list of Committee for Finance and Personnel research papers published during 2012.
Consultation: legal requirements and good practice
- Date: 03/05/2012
This Briefing Paper is a follow-up to RaISe Bill Paper 59/12 The Superannuation Bill. Members of the Committee for Finance and Personnel requested additional research. The Paper concerns the duties that the Bill would place on the Department of Finance and Personnel to consult with trades unions, and to report the outcome of the consultation to the Assembly.
The Superannuation Bill
- Date: 23/02/2012
This paper provides a general overview of existing redundancy pay – statutory, and in the private and wider public sector. It then concentrates on the provisions of the Superannuation Bill and raises some specific issues for Assembly Members’ consideration.
State Aid
- Date: 09/02/2012
This Briefing Paper provides a general briefing on European State Aid rules. It explains the legislative background and gives some detail on what is, and what is not, permissible under those rules.
Pros and cons of the Barnett Formula for Northern Ireland
- Date: 08/02/2012
The purpose of this Briefing Note is to provide the Committee for Finance and Personnel with a concise summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Barnett Formula for Northern Ireland. It draws together information from a number of previous RaISe papers1 and provides background for the evidence session with expert witnesses on 8 February 2012
Staffing levels in the Northern Ireland Civil Service
- Date: 27/01/2012
This Briefing Paper is to support the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s consideration of options for holding an Inquiry. The first part of the Note presents evidence published by the National Audit Office on staff costs, staffing levels and distribution by grade in the home civil service. The process for approving new posts in the Northern Ireland Civil Service – in particular in relation to the Department of Finance and Personnel’s role is presented. Some initial data from DFP’s Comprehensive Pay and Grading Review is also discussed.
Barnett Consequentials
- Date: 17/01/2012
This Briefing Paper explains how changes to Northern Ireland’s block grant are determined. Consideration is given to how ‘Barnett consequentials’ are announced and applied by the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish and the Welsh Governments. Some of the difficulties for the Assembly’s statutory committees’ financial scrutiny processes associated with the Barnett mechanism are also discussed.
