Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of Proceedings - 09 February 2022
Minutes of Proceedings - 9 February 2022.pdf (122.02 kb)
Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of Proceedings
9 February 2022
Meeting Location: Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA(Chairperson)
Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs MLA
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
Ms Cara Hunter MLA
Ms Liz Kimmins MLA
Mr Andrew Muir MLA
Mr George Robinson MLA
Apologies: Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Vincent Gribbin (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Supervisor)
The meeting commenced at 10:06 am in public session.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Chairpersons Business
None.
3. Draft Minutes.
Agreed:The Committee agreed the draft minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 2 February 2022.
4. Matters Arising
None.
5. Correspondence
Examiner of Statutory Rules Eleventh Report of the 2021 - 2022 session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.
Mr Cathal Boylan joined the meeting at 10:08 am.
Investing Strategy for Northern Ireland - Activity Report January 2022.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.
Correspondence from Department for Infrastructure providing - Autumn Roads Reports, for the Northern Division area.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.
Correspondence from the Northern Ireland Audit Office advising of the publication of its Planning in Northern Ireland report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department highlighting its concerns about the findings of the Northern Ireland Audit Office report.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee request additional information - Scrutiny of Transport Common Frameworks.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the response.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to issues arising from Committee meeting on 19 January 2022.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the response.
Correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure regarding her decision regarding alterations and extension of former military buildings to provide the Maritime Museum and Archive, Ebrington Square, Derry.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.
Correspondence from Department for Infrastructure providing the Spring Supplementary Estimates memorandum (2021-22).
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.
6. Briefing from Wedding and Funeral Car Representatives – Taxi Legislation
Representatives joined the meeting at 10:11 am.
- Mr Andrew McMullan, Wedding and Funeral Car Representatives
- Mr Mike Barr, Wedding and Funeral Car Representatives
- Mr Peter McCracken, Wedding and Funeral Car Representatives
- Mr Nick Britten, Wedding and Funeral Car Representatives
The officials provided the Committee with an oral briefing.
A question and answer session followed.
The Chairperson thanked officials for their attendance.
The officials left the meeting at 11:19 am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to commission a research briefing comparing the legislation governing wedding and funeral car businesses between Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward questions from the witnesses to the Department for a response.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a Departmental briefing on the issue.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister: to request details of the progress made on this issue with previous ministers with responsibility for the matter; to seek a long-term solution to the issue; and urging the Minister to introduce exemptions to mitigate the issue in the short-term.
7. Departmental Briefing on the Second Cycle Flood Risk Management Plan and Reservoirs Consultation
The officials joined the meeting at 11:25 am.
- Ms Alison Clydesdale, Director of Water & Drainage Policy
- Mr Jonathan McKee, Director of Rivers
- Mr Barry Spiers, Water and Drainage Policy Division
- Mr Mark Stranaghan, Water and Drainage Policy Division
The officials provided the Committee with an oral briefing.
A question and answer session followed.
The Chairperson thanked officials for their attendance.
The officials left the meeting at 12:01 pm.
8. Written Briefing – Consideration of draft Budget Response to Committee for Finance
The Committee considered the written briefing.
Agreed: The Committee agreed its response to the Committee for Finance as amended and to forwarded it to that Committee.
9. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the Draft Forward Work Programme.
10. Any Other Business
Agreed: The Committee agreed to raise the issue of a delay in progressing an Ards and North Down Borough Council Major Planning Application with officials at its briefing on the review of the Planning Act at its meeting on 16 February 2022.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister asking her if she has engaged with DAERA on its proposal under the Future Agriculture policy to raise the prerequisite for claim payments from 3 hectares to 10 hectares.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for an update on the support scheme for the Bus and Coach sector.
11. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 16 February 2022 at 10:00 am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:11 pm
Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure
16 February 2022
