At the request of broadcasting and recording services, members are requested to ensure that for the duration of the meeting their mobile phones are switched off completely or switched to airplane, safe or flight mode, depending on their device. It is not sufficient to put phones on silent mode as this will maintain the level of interference with the broadcasting system. In accordance with standard procedures agreed by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges for paperless committees, all documentation for the meeting has been circulated to members on the document database. I propose that we go into private session.
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government
The select committee went into private session at 9.34 a.m. and resumed in public session at 9.35 a.m.
The purpose of the meeting is to consider a further Revised Estimate for 2016 for the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Vote 34. In June last the committee completed its consideration of the Revised Estimate for public services for the year ending 31 December 2016 for the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Vote 34. In July last the Climate Action and Environment Order 2016 came into effect. The order transferred responsibility for environment programmes from the Department, now renamed the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The change now proposed in the further Revised Estimate is a technical change which reflects the transfer of the environment programmes between Departments.
The proposed change is Exchequer neutral. It involves the transfer of funds from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Is that agreed? Agreed.