Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings  - 01 December 2021

Minutes of Proccedings 1 December 2021.pdf (208.05 kb)

Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings

1 December 2021

Meeting Location: Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings

Present:

Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA(Chairperson)

Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Roy Beggs MLA

Mr Cathal Boylan MLA

Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:

Ms Cara Hunter MLA

Ms Liz Kimmins MLA

Mr Andrew Muir MLA         

Mr George Robinson MLA

Apologies: None

In Attendance:

Mr Vincent Gribbin (Assembly Clerk)

Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)

Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Supervisor)

The meeting commenced at 10:03 am in public session.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Chairpersons Business

None.

3. Draft Minutes.

Agreed:The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 24 November 2021.

4. Matters Arising

None.

5. Correspondence

Assembly Research and Information Service Research Paper – Vehicle defects as a contributory factor in road accidents.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the research paper.

Correspondence from a member of the public regarding allegations against the Driver & Vehicle Agency.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for comment on the issues raised.

Ms Liz Kimmins joined the meeting at 10:10 am.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed to write to the Department for information on the detail of the recently completed court case involving DVA enforcement.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to representatives of the taxi industry in relation to the enforcement issue.

Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure regarding the launch of a consultation to consider making careless driving a fixed penalty offence.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed to note the correspondence and schedule a briefing in the Forward Work Programme on the outcome of the consultation.

Correspondence from the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council providing a copy of its report “The Public Finances in Northern Ireland”.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

Response from Translink to Committee correspondence regarding recent attacks on public transport.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the response.

Correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure regarding an Oral Statement to The Assembly on The NSMC Inland Waterways Sectoral Meeting Held on 3 November 2021.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure regarding a consultation on secondary legislation to further commence and implement the requirements of the Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence and schedule a briefing in the Forward Work Programme on the outcome of the consultation.

Correspondence from the Clerking and Member Support Office regarding a Member Development Session on Personal Security.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to issues arising from the Committee meeting on 10 November 2021

Agreed: The Committee agreed to send the relevant extracts to the applicable organisations for information.

Agreed:  The Committee agreed to raise the issue of taxi licensing for funeral directors with the Minister when she briefs the Committee.  

Agreed: The Committee agreed that a motion would be drafted for Committee agreement on issues regarding DVA. 

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting an update on the Minister’s consultation with Councils in respect of the Development in the Countryside Planning Advice Note.

Mr George Robinson joined the meeting at 10:17 am.

Mr Pádraig Delargy joined the meeting at 10:18 am.

Copy of the Examiner of Statutory Rules Sixth Report of the Session 2021-2022.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.

Correspondence from the Road Haulage Association requesting to brief the Committee.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing in the Forward Work Programme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting a report of the meeting of the EU-UK Specialised Committee on Road Transport including any issues of particular interest to Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing from Logistics UK and other sectoral bodies in the Forward Work Programme.

6. SL1 - The Footway to the rear of Quadrant Place, near Albert Street, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021

The Committee considered the SL1 - The Footway to the rear of Quadrant Place, near Albert Street, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021.

Agreed: The Committee was content with the proposal for the Statutory Rule.

7. SL1 - The Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 (Public Service Obligations in Transport) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021

The Committee consideredthe SL1 - The Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 (Public Service Obligations in Transport) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021.

The Departmental officials joined the meetings at 10:27 am.

• Mrs Jackie Robinson, Director of Public Transport Division
• Mrs Linda Buick, Public Transport Division

A question and answer session followed.

The Chairperson thanked the departmental officials for their attendance.

The Departmental officials left the meeting at 10:37 am.

Agreed: The Committee was content with the proposal for the Statutory Rule.

Mr Jonathan Buckley and Mr Roy Beggs reserved their position in relation to the statutory rule.

8. Subordinate Legislation – SRs Not Subject to Assembly Proceedings

The Committee consideredthe following SRs not subject to any Assembly proceedings:

• SR 2021-306 The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment No. 8) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021
• SR 2021-307 The Roads (Speed Limit) (No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021
• SR 2021-308 The Roads (Speed Limit) (No.3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021
• SR 2021-309 The Road Races (Targa Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the Statutory Rules.

9. SR 2021-305 The Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

The Committee considered SR 2021-305 The Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021. The purpose of the Rule is to amend the Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (“the Taximeter Regulations”) in order to implement and facilitate an increase in the maximum fare rates for metered taxis (Class A and B taxis).

The Committee noted that some consultees were not content with the rule.

Agreed:That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2021-305 The Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules report, has no objection to the rule.

10. SR 2021-310 The Rockfield Park, Portaferry (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021

The Committee considered SR 2021-310 The Rockfield Park, Portaferry (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021. The purpose of the rule is to abandon an area of 72 square metres of road comprising part of a former turning head adjacent to No. 31 Rockfield Park, Portaferry.

Agreed:That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2021-310 The Rockfield Park, Portaferry (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules report, has no objection to the rule.

11. Departmental Briefing – Budget - Outcome of the October Monitoring and the 2022-25 Budget

The Departmental officials joined the meeting at 10:41 am.

• Ms Susan Anderson, Director of Finance
• Mr Declan McGeown, Deputy Secretary - Resources, Governance and EU Group
• Dr Andrew Murray, Deputy Secretary of Roads and Rivers

The Departmental officials provided the Committee with an oral briefing.

A question and answer session followed.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Department provide further detail on the capital requirement for rail increases from £136.9 million in year 1 to £244.3 million in year 3.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Department provide further detail on the capital requirement for strategic road improvements increases from £4.5 million in year 1 to £36.9 million in year 2 and then £40.9 million in year 3 and how the budget may be allocated.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Department provide further detail on the capital requirement for DVA increases from £3.4 million in year 1 to £11.7 million in year 2 before decreasing again in year 3 to £2.5 million.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Department provide more detail on the capital funding breakdown for the York Street Interchange.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Department provide indicative figures for its overall resource requirements for each of the three years in the budget period.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Department provide further information on the contingency plans in place to ensure water to schools and hospitals given the budgetary constraints being faced by Northern Ireland Water.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Department provide the Committee with a briefing on the January Monitoring Round.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the departmental officials provide the Committee with a breakdown of the budget commitments for each of the 3 years for the upcoming budget.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Departmental officials provide the Committee with specific details of the year-on-year requirement for the PSA with Translink for the 3 years of the budget and an estimate of what may be required to expand Translink.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Departmental officials provide the Committee with further detail on the timeline for the A5 project.

Mr Cathal Boylan left the meeting at 12:15 pm.

The Chairperson thanked the departmental officials for their attendance.

The Departmental officials left the meeting at 12:18 pm.

Mr Cathal Boylan returned to the meeting at 12:19 pm.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Finance to highlighting its concerns regarding the issues being faced by NI Water and Translink.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting a response on a range of additional issues on the Budget.

12. Forward Work Programme

The Committee considered the Draft Forward Work Programme.

13. Any Other Business

None.

14. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 8 December 2021 at 10:00 am in the Palace Stables, Armagh.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:36 pm.

Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA

Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure

8 December 2021