Committee for Infrastructure minutes
Minutes of Proceedings 15 December 2021
Committee for Infrastructure minutes 15 December 2021.pdf (192.95 kb)
Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of Proceedings
15 December 2021
Meeting Location: Room 29, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA(Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs MLA
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Mr Padraig Delargy MLA
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
Ms Liz Kimmins MLA
Mr Andrew Muir MLA
Mr George Robinson MLA
Apologies:
Ms Cara Hunter MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Vincent Gribbin (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Emma Magee (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced at 10:08 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 8 December 2021.
4. Matters Arising
The Chairperson thanked the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium for hosting the Committee last week for its Committee meeting and visit.
5. Correspondence
Correspondence from the Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee (IMTAC) regarding the Disabled People's Parliament held in Parliament Buildings on 3 December 2021 to mark International Day of Disabled people.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.
Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure regarding the extension of Goods Vehicle Operator Licensing to Light Goods Vehicles Used for Hire and Reward in EU Member States.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for information on the timescales for changes and what engagement there has been with stakeholders.
George Robinson joined the meeting at 10:15 am.
Assembly Research and Information Service paper on Climate change risks to transport infrastructure.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the research paper.
Assembly Research and Information Service blog on Transport trends during the COVID -19 Pandemic (Blog).
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the blog.
Response from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council regarding the implementation of Strategic Planning Policy on Development in the Countryside.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the response.
Copy of the Examiner of Statutory Rules Seventh Report of the Session 2021-2022.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.
Response from Minister of Finance regarding the financial impacts of January 2022 Monitoring round on Northern Ireland Water and Translink.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for Infrastructure for comment and for how they intend to respond to the Finance Minister.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Translink for comment.
Liz Kimmins joined the meeting at 10:18 am.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence regarding issues arising from the Committee meeting on 24 November 2021.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to schedule a briefing on road maintenance.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) 2021 Annual Statement – Human Rights in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.
Correspondence from Into the West seeking to brief the Committee on 'The Role for Rail in the West of Northern Ireland' - the rail campaign for the counties of Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh and Donegal.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing in the Forward Work Programme.
Correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the House of Lords European Affairs Sub Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.
Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure providing the DfI Roads Southern Division - Report to Ards and North, Down 2021-22.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.
Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure providing the DfI Roads Southern Division - Report to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council 2021-22.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.
Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure providing the DfI Roads Southern Division - Report to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council 2021-22.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.
Correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding governance arrangements for the City Deals.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.
Copy of response from Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to Minister for Infrastructure regarding Review of Planning Application Processes.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.
Copy of report from Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry relating to NI Chamber’s ‘Brexit: One Year On’.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.
6. Subordinate Legislation – SL1s – Not Subject to Assembly Proceedings
The Committee consideredthe following SL1s not subject to any Assembly proceedings.
- SL1 - The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment No. 9) Order(Northern Ireland) 2021
- SL1 - The Parking Places on Roads and Waiting Restrictions (Magherafelt) (Amendment)Order (Northern Ireland) 2021
- SL1 - The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Newtownabbey) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with the proposals for the Statutory Rules.
7. SL1 - The Crankill Road Central Reservation, Ballymena (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022
The Committee consideredthe SL1 - The Crankill Road Central Reservation, Ballymena (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with the proposal for the Statutory Rule.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request that the maps provided with the SL1’s must adequately show the area under consideration.
8. Subordinate Legislation – SRs Not Subject to Assembly Proceedings
The Committee consideredthe following SRs not subject to any Assembly proceedings:
- SR 2021-324 The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Lisburn) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021
- SR 2021-327 The Traffic Weight Restriction (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021
- SR 2021-333 The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Rathfriland) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the Statutory Rules.
9. SR 2022-000 The Grants to Water and Sewerage Undertakers Order (Northern
Ireland) 2022
The Committee considered SR 2022-000 The Grants to Water and Sewerage Undertakers Order (Northern Ireland) 2022The statutory rule will extend the period, during which the Department will pay a subsidy to NI Water, as the water and sewerage undertaker, in lieu of domestic water charges for a further five years to 31 March 2027.
The Committee noted that some consultees were not content with the rule.
Agreed: That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2021-305 The Grants to Water and Sewerage Undertakers Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules report, has no objection to the rule.
10. SR 2021-337 The Regulation (EC) No 1370 2007 (Public Service Obligations in Transport) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021
The Committee considered SR 2021-337 The Regulation (EC) No 1370 2007 (Public Service Obligations in Transport) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021. The purpose of the proposed Regulations is to remove references to member states, EU law, the requirement to report to the European Commission, as well as to replace references to EU directives and regulations with their appropriate UK replacements. These amendments will ensure the retained EC regulation will operate effectively.
Agreed: That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2021-337 The Regulation (EC) No 1370 2007 (Public Service Obligations in Transport) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules report, has no objection to the rule.
Mr Jonathan Buckley and Mr Roy Beggs reserved their position in relation to the statutory rule.
11. Briefing from ESB – Ecars and the EV Charging Network
The representatives joined the meeting at 10:27 am.
Mr John Walsh, Great Britain Manager, Customer Solutions
Mr John Byrne, ESB eCars Manager
The Departmental officials provided the Committee with an oral briefing.
A question and answer session followed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the representatives would provide further information on the highest number chargers that were not working at any one time.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the representatives would provide further information on the levelling up fund when it is available.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the representatives would provide further information on any regulatory or legislative obstruction to charging for use of its EV Charging Network.
The Chairperson thanked the representatives for their attendance.
The departmental officials left the meeting at 11:33 am.
12. Briefing from Sustrans - Tackling climate change through active travel
The representatives joined the meeting at 11:33 am
Ms Caroline Bloomfield, Director
Ms Anne Madden, Policy and Media Advisor
The representatives provided the Committee with an oral briefing.
A question and answer session followed.
The Chairperson thanked the representatives for their attendance.
The representatives left the meeting at 12:14 pm.
13. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the Draft Forward Work Programme.
14. Any Other Business
The Committee considered the briefing by ESB.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to schedule a briefing to clarify issues coming from the ESB briefing.
15. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 19 January 2022 at 10:00 am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12.16 pm
Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure
19 January 2022
