Minutes of Proceedings 17 November 2021
Committee for Finance
Committee for Finance
Minutes of Proceedings
17 November 2021
Meeting Location: The Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Keith Buchanan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jim Allister MLA
Mr Pat Catney MLA
Mr Matthew O’Toole MLA
Mr Jim Wells MLA
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Ms Jemma Dolan MLA
Mr Philip McGuigan MLA
Mr Maolíosa McHugh MLA
Apologies:
None
In Attendance:
Mr Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Carla Campbell (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Stephen Magee (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Heather Graham (Clerical Officer)
Ms Rachel Keyes (Research Officer) – item 7 only
Mr Chris Rothwell (Research Officer) – item 7 only
Proceedings commenced at 2:00pm in public session.
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
Jim Allister delegated authority to vote on his behalf to Jim Wells under Temporary Standing Order 115(6), until he attended the meeting.
2. Declaration of Interests
There were no declarations of interest.
3. Chairperson’s Business
3.1 Unpaid Commercial Rents
The Chairperson advised the Committee of a reference in Assembly Questions to the consideration of measures to address unpaid business rents. It is understood that Departmental officials are considering replicating legislation in England in order to allow for mandatory arbitration, in the event that this is considered to be an appropriate means of addressing the issue of unpaid commercial rents, when the moratorium on covid forfeitures ends in March 2022.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department of Finance seeking clarification as to the Department’s policy position on unpaid business rents and mandatory arbitration and to determine whether there is to be consultation with business stakeholders on a related Legislative Consent Motion or other legislative provision.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed:The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 10 November 2021.
5. Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
6. Financial Reporting (Departments and Public Bodies) Bill – Committee Stage – Agreement of Committee Report
The Committee considered the final draft report on the Committee Stage of the Financial Reporting (Departments and Public Bodies) Bill.
Title Page, Table of Contents, Committee Powers and Membership and List of Abbreviations
The Committee considered the Title Page, Table of Contents, Committee Membership and Powers and List of Abbreviations.
Agreed:The Committee agreed that it was content with the Title Page, Table of Contents, Committee Membership and Powers and List of Abbreviations, as drafted.
Introduction
The Committee considered the Introduction section (paragraphs 1 to 13) of the report.
Agreed:The Committee agreed that it was content with the Introduction section of the report, as drafted.
Committee Approach and Acknowledgements
The Committee considered the Committee Approach and Acknowledgements sections (paragraphs 14 to 21) of the report.
Agreed:The Committee agreed that it was content with the Committee Approach and Acknowledgements sections of the report, as drafted.
Committee Deliberations
The Committee considered the Committee Deliberations section (paragraph 22 to 57) of the report.
Agreed:The Committee agreed that it was content with the Committee Deliberations section of the report, as drafted.
Clause by Clause Scrutiny
The Committee considered the Clause by Clause Scrutiny section (paragraphs 58 to 64) of the report.
Agreed:The Committee agreed that it was content with the Clause by Clause Scrutiny section of the report, as drafted.
Appendices
The Committee considered the list of Appendices in the report.
Agreed:The Committee agreed that it was content with the list of Appendices in the report, as drafted.
Executive Summary
The Committee considered the Executive Summary of the report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with the Executive Summary of the report, as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Chairperson to approve an extract of the Minutes of Proceedings from today’s meeting that covers the consideration and approval of the Committee report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Report on the Committee Stage of the Financial Reporting (Departments and Public Bodies) Bill (21/17-22) to be published as its 4th report of this mandate.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that an electronic copy of the Bill Report should be sent to all organisations and individuals who provided evidence to the Committee on the Bill.
The Committee recorded its thanks to the Clerk and Committee staff for the speedy production of the Bill Report.
7. RaISe PFSU Oral Briefing – Spending Review
Assembly Research (RaISe) officers from the Public Finance Scrutiny Unit (PFSU) joined the meeting at 2:07pm.
- Rachel Keyes, Research Officer, PFSU; and
- Christopher Rothwell, Research Officer, PFSU.
The Committee noted the Research Paper from RaISe PFSU and related correspondence on the Spending Review from the Department.
The Chairperson thanked the research officers for their briefing.
Matthew O’Toole left the meeting at 2:25pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking further information on the uses to which Financial Transactions Capital has been put and an explanation as to why the Spending Review allocation showed a marked reduction in this kind of spending.
Matthew O’Toole returned to the meeting at 2:27pm.
8. Written Briefing – SR 297 Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders
The Committee considered The Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order (Relevant Third Party) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021. Members indicated their strong and unanimous support for the Statutory Rule.
Steve Aiken declared an interest as a Board Member of Christian Aid Ireland who strongly oppose Female Genital Mutilation.
Agreed: The Committee considered SR 297: The Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order (Relevant Third Party) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 and agreed, subject to the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules, that it had no objection to the Rule.
9. Written Briefing – SL1: Civil Registration
The Committee considered an SL1 proposal by the Department of Finance to make a Statutory Rule: Civil Registration (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
Jim Allister joined the meeting at 2:34pm.
The question was put: that the Committee has considered the SL1: Civil Registration (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 and has no objection to the policy intent and is content for the Department to make the Rule.
The Committee divided:
AYES NOES ABSTAIN
Steve Aiken Jim Allister None
Pat Catney Keith Buchanan
Jemma Dolan Jim Wells
Philip McGuigan
Maolíosa McHugh
Matthew O’Toole
The motion was agreed.
10. Correspondence
10.1 The Committee noted an index of incoming correspondence.
10.2 The Committee noted a Department for Finance 12-week consultation entitled: “Belief Marriage and Minimum Age for Marriage of Civil Partnership – a public consultation”.
10.3 The Committee noted a response from the Department of Finance in relation to clawback arrangements associated with assets for which costs were covered by the Executive.
10.4 The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to the Department of Finance asking that the benefits of the Active Travel programme are considered when determining future budget allocations and to seek clarity on plans to enhance the level of funding provided for Active Travel initiatives.
10.5 The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee on Procedures seeking the views of the Committee for Finance on the Sponsors of Private Members Bill (PMBs) joining scrutiny committees during the passage of their Bills.
Steve Aiken declared an interest as a member of the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group which had already considered its response to the Committee on Procedures on this issue.
Jim Allister left the meeting at 2:49pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee on Procedures indicating that the Committee feels that the option of PMB Sponsors attending committee meetings should be available to committees in order to allow Bill Sponsors to question witnesses; provide prompt answers; and inform committee scrutiny of a PMB. However, the Committee also suggested the Committee on Procedures may also wish to give consideration to comparison with Westminster Standing Orders and issues of conflict of interest where expert witnesses may find themselves questioned by PMB Sponsors.
10.6 The Committee considered the composite information request.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the composite request was an accurate and complete record of the Committee’s outstanding information requests.
11. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered a draft of its Forward Work Programme.
Pat Catney left the meeting at 2:59pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a Ministerial briefing on the budget and significant policy challenges including the RHI Action Plan, for 15 December 2021.
Jim Wells noted with concern that the Minister was not available to attend as expected at today’s meeting and decisions would be required on the Non-Domestic Rates Valuations (Coronavirus) Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Chairperson to meet informally with the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council on 23 November 2021.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a number of Defamation Bill oral evidence sessions before Christmas Recess including with UTV, Peter Girvan and the Law Society of Northern Ireland.
Agreed: The Committee agreed its Forward Work Programme, as amended.
Pat Catney rejoined the meeting at 3:01pm.
Owing to the Minister of Finance being unavailable, the Committee adopted a revised order of proceedings.
Proceedings continued in closed session from 3:03pm.
Jim Allister rejoined the meeting at 3:03pm.
12. Non-Domestic Rates Valuations (Coronavirus) Bill
The Committee noted Ministerial and Departmental correspondence on the Non-Domestic Rates Valuations (Coronavirus) Bill and other related correspondence from the Federation of Small Businesses NI and from a property consultancy company.
The Committee considered a motion: That the Committee opposes accelerated passage for the Non-Domestic Rates Valuations Bill.
The Committee divided:
AYES NOES ABSTAIN
Jim Allister Jemma Dolan Steve Aiken
Jim Wells Philip McGuigan Keith Buchanan
Maolíosa McHugh Pat Catney
Matthew O’Toole
The motion was not agreed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking information on the chronology of the development of the Non-Domestic Rates Valuations (Coronavirus) Bill.
Proceedings continued in open session from 3:16pm.
13. Any Other Business
There was no other business.
14. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Finance will be at 2pm on Wednesday 24 November 2021 in the Senate and on Starleaf.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:16pm.
Dr Steve Aiken MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Finance
24 November 2021
