COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 2007
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Fred Cobain MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA
In Attendance: Ms Marie Austin (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Neil Currie (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Joy Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Lorraine McFarland (Clerical Officer)
Ms Jennifer Betts – Assembly Research & Library Services (item 6 only)
Apologies: Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
The meeting opened at 11.04am in public session
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson informed Members that he would be speaking as Committee Chairperson at debates in plenary on 26 and 27 November 2007, in relation to the Pensions Bill, the Draft Programme for Government and Investment Strategy, and the Draft Budget.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2007
Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.
4. Briefing by Minister Margaret Ritchie on the Draft Budget
Minister Margaret Ritchie joined the meeting at 11.07am, accompanied by the following officials:
Barney McGahan – Deputy Secretary, Resources, Housing and Social
Security Group
John McGrath – Deputy Secretary, Urban Regeneration & Community
Development Group
Bryan Davis – Chief Executive, Social Security Agency
Paddy McIntyre – Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Housing Executive
The Minister briefed the Committee on the Draft Budget. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Miss McIlveen joined the meeting at 11.14am.
Mr McIntyre agreed to provide Mrs McGill with some information on constituency matters.
The Chairperson thanked the Minister and officials for the informative briefing.
The Minister and officials left the meeting at 12.12pm.
5. Proposed Statutory Rule
The Committee considered the following proposed Statutory Rule:
The Occupational Pensions (Revaluation) Order (NI) 2007.
Agreed – The Committee was content with the Department’s proposal to make the Statutory Rule.
6. Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration – oral evidence from the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association
Ms Jennifer Betts from Assembly Research and Library Services answered Members queries on the research paper prepared in relation to the inquiry.
Mr Burns left the meeting at 12.17pm.
Mr Cobain left the meeting at 12.17pm.
The following representatives from the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association joined the meeting at 12.20pm.
Brian Gray – Chief Executive, NI Independent Retail Trade Association
Paul Stewart – President, NI Independent Retail Trade Association
Des Stephens – Independent Planning Consultant
Barry Turley – ASITIS Consulting
The representatives gave oral evidence on the Committee Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Ms Lo left the meeting at 12.45pm.
Miss McIlveen declared the following interest – her family owns a town centre business.
The representatives referred to a report prepared by EDAW Consultants which had been submitted to the Department for Social Development in March 2000. The report contained 27 key recommendations, however, the representatives stated that the report was never published, nor many of the recommendations implemented.
Agreed – It was agreed to write to the Department to ascertain the status of the report and the position on each of the recommendations.
The Chairperson thanked the representatives for the briefing.
The representatives left the meeting at 1.08pm.
7. Inquiry by the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister into Child Poverty
Agreed – The Committee agreed its response to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister into Child Poverty.
8. Briefing on the Interdepartmental Affordability Review Implementation Group
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the
meeting at 1.09pm:
Michael Sands – Deputy Director of Housing
David Malcolm – Housing Division
Michael O’Connor – Housing Division
The officials briefed the Committee on the work of the Interdepartmental Affordability Review Implementation Group.
The officials informed the Committee that an additional £20.4 million had been secured from the October Monitoring Round, which would enable work to start on 200 new homes this year.
Agreed – It was agreed to write to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in relation to this matter.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 1.18pm.
9. Correspondence
i The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister advising that she was commissioning a feasibility study into the development of a commercial hub in the Andersonstown Gateway Area, which included the former Andersonstown Barracks site.
Agreed – It was agreed to write to the Minister requesting the results of the feasibility study when known, and to consider the matter further at that time.
ii The Committee noted a briefing paper from the Department on the Draft Programme for Government and Draft Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland.
Agreed – It was agreed that the Clerk should draft a response for consideration by the Committee at its meeting on 29 November 2007.
iii The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Finance and Personnel advising that Land & Property Services had offered assistance to the Committee in relation to its inquiry into town centre regeneration.
Agreed – It was agreed to accept the offer of assistance from Land and Property Services.
iv The Committee considered documentation provided by the Minister for Social Development in relation to her decision to end funding for the Conflict Transformation Initiative project.
Agreed – It was agreed to note the Minister’s correspondence and to revisit the matter when all of the legal advice had been received.
v The Committee considered correspondence from Mickey Brady in his capacity as an MLA in Newry & Armagh constituency. He had been approached by the Newry Downs Syndrome Association requesting to meet the Committee to discuss issues of concern, particularly the administration of benefits.
Agreed – In light of the number of requests from various groups wishing to meet the Committee, it was agreed that an informal reception should be arranged for the Newry Downs Syndrome Association and other groups.
10. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
11. Any other business
None.
12. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Social Development will be held on
Thursday, 29 November 2007 at 11.00am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.22pm.