Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings - 19 January 2022

Committee for Infrastructure - Minutes of Proceedings 19 January 2022.pdf (215.64 kb)

Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings

19 January 2022

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

Ms Liz Kimmins MLA

Mr Andrew Muir MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:

Mr George Robinson MLA

Ms Cara Hunter MLA

Apologies:  None

In Attendance:

Mr Vincent Gribbin (Assembly Clerk)

Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)

Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Supervisor)

Mr Stephen Magee (Clerical Supervisor)

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

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Chairpersons Business

The Committee considered the rescheduling of its stakeholder event that had been arranged for 15 December 2021.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to reschedule the event for after a Committee meeting on the first available date.

3. Draft Minutes.

Agreed:The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 15 December 2021.

4. Matters Arising

None.

The Committee considered the recent road deaths and placed on the record that is thoughts are with the families of the victims of those tragedies.

5. Correspondence

Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure Update on Review of Strategic Planning Policy on Renewable & Low Carbon Energy.          

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting a briefing on the findings of the consultation on the Issues paper.             

Correspondence from the Taxi Operators Group - Response to Committee request Re - Entrapment of Taxi Drivers.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the response.

Correspondence from the Committee for Finance on Super Parity Issue - Parental Leave (leave and Pay) Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from the Committee for Finance on the Draft Budget 2022 - 2025

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Copy of Correspondence from Jo Churchill MP to Lord Jay - Protocol - Proposal for a Regulation of The European Parliament and of The Council Concerning Batteries and Waste Batteries.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure, regarding the publication of four Transport Research Projects - Active Travel and Modal Shift; Development of Electric vehicles in Northern Ireland; Alternative Fuels for Vehicles; and Greening the Fleet.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to issues arising from the Committee meeting on 1 December 2021.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure regarding DVA enforcement issues.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure, Publication of Second Cycle Flood Risk Management Plan 2021 – 2027.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from Sustrans providing a look back at 2021.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure, Flood Risk Management Plan 2021 – 2027.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from the Justice Committee on its Report on the Protection from Stalking Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from Investing Strategy for Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure - Investing Activity Report - December 2021.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from Bus and Coach NI Ltd Request for Additional Financial Assistance for the Bus and Coach Industry due to Covid19.

Agreed: The Committee agreed note the correspondence and forward it to the Department for information and comment.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to issues arising from the Committee meeting on 8 December 2021.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Response from the Department for Justice for comment on the Committee inquiry into the Decarbonisation of Road Transport in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Response from the Department for Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs for comment on the Committee inquiry into the Decarbonisation of Road Transport in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from a Member of the public regarding the condition of roads due to Potholes.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from The Executive Office, the Department of Justice and the Department of Health regarding a call for views on two new strategies: - A Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Health; and - An Equally Safe Strategy: a Strategy to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls, led by The Executive Office.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure on the Scrutiny of Transport Common Frameworks (Phase 4).

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry & BDO, Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) Summary.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Correspondence from ESB in response to issues arising from the ESB briefing to the Committee on 15/12/21

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Response from the Department for the Economy for comment on the Committee inquiry into the Decarbonisation of Road Transport in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.   

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to issues arising from the Committee meeting on 15 December 2021.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking further clarity on the delay in progress on the Review of the Planning Act 2011.   

Mr Muir declared an interest as a close family member is working on the development of the A6.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking further clarity on how the Department proposed to deal with the issue of the Mobuoy Waste Dump in the development of the A6. 

Response from Translink to Committees request on the Impact of funding on Northern Ireland Public Transport.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.  

6. Subordinate Legislation – SL1s – Not Subject to Assembly Proceedings

The Committee consideredthe following SL1 not subject to any Assembly proceedings.

• SL1 - The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Londonderry) (Amendment) 2022

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the proposal for the Statutory Rule.

7. Subordinate Legislation – SRs Not Subject to Assembly Proceedings

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

• SR 2021-344 The Taxis (2008 Act) (Commencement No. 6) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the Statutory Rule.

8. Ministerial Briefing – Proposal for A Motor Insurance Bill and Accelerated Passage

The Minister and Departmental officials joined the meeting at 10:19 am.

Ms Nichola Mallon; Minister for Infrastructure

Mrs Katrina Godfrey, Permanent Secretary, Department for Infrastructure

Mr Jeremy Logan, Chief Executive, Driver and Vehicle Agency

Mr Donald Starritt, Safe and Accessible Travel Division

The Minister provided the Committee with an oral briefing.

A question and answer session followed.

The Minister agreed to provide the Committee with the draft Bill for the Committee’s consideration at the earliest opportunity.  

Mr Starritt left the meeting at 10:37 am.

Ms Susan Anderson, Director of Finance joined the meeting at 10:37 am.

9. Ministerial Briefing – January Monitoring Round

The Minister provided the Committee with an oral briefing on the January Monitoring Round.

A question and answer session followed.

The Minister agreed to provide further information on how much has been spent by the Department to date on the York Street Interchange.

10. Ministerial Briefing – Update on Departmental Issues

The Minister provided the Committee with an update on a range of departmental policy areas.

The Minister agreed to provide further information on the reduction in rail services to Larne.

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

The Minister and her officials left the meeting at 12.40 pm.

11. Committee Scrutiny of Common Transport Frameworks

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure to advising that her Department is currently progressing Phase 4 of the development and implementation process for four Transport Common Frameworks.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing with Departmental officials on DVA enforcement.

12. Forward Work Programme

The Committee considered the Draft Forward Work Programme.

13. Any Other Business

The Committee considered the Road Safety Strategy.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking clarity on the rationale for reducing the Road Safety Strategy Fatality Target from 60% reduction to 50% reduction and whether this is a budget issue or a wider strategic issue.

14. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 26 January 2022 at 10:00 am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:48 pm

Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA

Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure

26 January 2022