Tuesday 12 September 2000 at 9.45am in Room 144 Parliament Buildings

Present: Mr P Doherty (Chairperson) Mr S Neeson (Deputy Chairperson) Mr A Attwood Ms P Lewsley Mr D McClarty Dr A McDonnell Ms J Morrice Dr D O'Hagan

In attendance: Mrs C White, Mr J Nesbitt,   Mr M Anderson, Miss J Presho

In attendance for public evidence session at 10.00am: Sir Reg Empey - Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mr D Livingstone - Trading Standards Service, and Mr E Cairns - Trading Standards Service

The meeting opened, in private, at 9.50am

1. Chairperson's business

The Chairperson advised that he had issued a press release rejecting the claims made in the press that committees were not open to public scrutiny; a copy of the press release was issued to members.

2. Apologies

Apologies were received from Mr Clyde.

3. Weights and Measures Bill

  1. A copy of the Minister's response to Dr O'Hagan's comments on the Bill was circulated to members.
  2. The Chairperson advised that the Assembly had agreed to a 14 day extension (to 16 October) of the Committee Stage of the Bill.

4. Public evidence session at 10.00am on the Weights and Measures (Amendment) Bill

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment and officials from Trading Standards Service gave evidence to the Committee on the Weights and Measures (Amendment) Bill. The Minister made an opening statement in which he outlined the reasons for the introduction of this Bill. The Minister and officials answered a number of questions put by the Committee on the implications of the Bill in NI.

Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 10.35am Ms Lewsley and Mr Attwood left the meeting at 10.45am Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 11.00am

5. Any other business    

    1. Agreed - the draft programme of public evidence sessions on the Strategy 2010 Inquiry, as amended.
      2.     
    2. Agreed - to accept the invitation to visit Nortel; a date for the visit will be considered at next week's meeting.
    3. The Committee was content with the Minister's response to the Committee's question on the "residual costs" mentioned in the Appropriation Act.
    4. The Committee discussed a request from Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association to give evidence to the Committee on the Strategy 2010 Inquiry.

Agreed - that the organisation could make a written submission to the Committee on the Inquiry.

               5.  The Committee Clerk advised that the Committee would be required to consider the Department's Programme    for Government and budget for 2001/02 in October.

Agreed - that Allied Bakeries could be invited to meet the Committee after the public evidence sessions on the Strategy 2010 Inquiry are completed

6. Date of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday 13 September at 10.15am at Queens University.

The meeting closed at 11.45am

Mr P Doherty (Chairperson)