Present:

Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA (Chairperson)

Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Mickey Brady 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)

The meeting opened at 11.05am in public session

1.

Apologies

There were no apologies.

2.

Chairperson’s business

The Chairperson informed Members that the Charities Bill was scheduled to be introduced to the Assembly on 10 December 2007, with the second stage likely to take place in mid January 2008. The Chairperson advised Members that the Clerk had arranged for the Department to brief the Committee on the Charities Bill at the meeting on 10 January 2008. A paper on the handling of the Charities Bill will be prepared by the Clerk for that date.

Mr Maginness left the meeting at 11.07am.

3.

Draft minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2007

Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.

Mr Cobain joined the meeting at 11.08am.

4.

Briefing on proposed Statutory Rules regarding Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance) etc

The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the meeting at 11.08am:

John O’Neill – Director, Social Security Policy & Legislation Division
Rosemary Hughes– Social Security Policy & Legislation Division
Richard Worledge– Social Security Policy & Legislation Division
Pat Durkin – Northern Ireland Housing Executive

The officials briefed the Committee and answered Members’ questions on the following proposed Statutory Rules:

The Housing Benefit (Executive Determinations) Regulations (NI) 2007; The Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007; The Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit ) (Local Housing Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007; The Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance) (Miscellaneous and Consequential Amendments) Regulations (NI) 2007.

Mr Maginness rejoined the meeting at 11.11am.

Agreed – The Committee agreed that it required further information on the proposals. The officials were asked to provide the requested information and to brief the Committee further in January 2008.

The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.

The officials left the meeting at 12.00 noon.

Mr Craig left the meeting at 12.01pm.

5.

Statutory Rules laid in the Assembly

The Committee considered the following Statutory Rules which are subject to negative resolution and have been laid in the Assembly:

The Social Security (Claims and Information) Regulations (NI) 2007

Question put and agreed:

That the Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2007 No. 467 The Social Security (Claims and Information) Regulations (NI) 2007 and has no objection to the Rule.

The Social Security (Housing Costs and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (NI) 2007

Question put and agreed:

That the Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2007 No. 475 The Social Security (Housing Costs and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (NI) 2007 and has no objection to the Rule.

6.

Briefings on r esourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector

The following representatives from the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action joined the meeting at 12.02pm:

Seamus McAleavey – Chief Executive, NICVA
Frances McCandless – Director of Policy, NICVA

The representatives briefed the Committee on resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector. This was followed by a question and answer session.

Mr Craig rejoined the meeting at 12.05pm.

The Chairperson thanked the representatives for the briefing.

The representatives left the meeting at 12.22pm.

The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the

meeting at 12.22pm:

Seamus Murray – Director, Voluntary and Community Unit

Marie Abbot – Voluntary and Community Unit

Gordon Bell – Voluntary and Community Unit

The officials briefed the Committee on resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector. This was followed by a question and answer session.

Mr McCann left the meeting at 12.44pm.

The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.

The officials left the meeting at 12.46pm.

7.

Draft response to the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the Draft Budget

The Committee considered the draft response to the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the Draft Budget.

The Clerk was asked to prepare a revised draft response based on the Committee’s deliberations, for consideration at the meeting on 6 December 2007.

8.

Draft response to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on the Draft Programme for Government and Investment Strategy

The Committee considered the draftresponse to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on the Draft Programme for Government and Investment Strategy.

Mr Cobain left the meeting at 1.11pm.

The Clerk was asked to prepare a revised draft response based on the Committee’s deliberations, for consideration at the meeting on 6 December 2007.

9.

Correspondence

i

The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister enclosing a copy of the letter of notice sent to Farset Youth and Community Development Ltd on 30 October 2007, in relation to the Conflict Transformation Initiative project.

ii

The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister which provided the further information requested in relation to the draft Social Housing Procurement Strategy. The Chairperson informed Members that he had asked officials to provide the Committee with copies of the final Procurement Strategy, highlighting any changes that had been made following the consultation.

iii

The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister advising of the action she was taking following the loss of customer details of Child Benefit recipients by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

iv

The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister which provided the further information requested in relation to the Pensions Bill.

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, 6 December 2007 at 10.30am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.20pm.

Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA

Chairperson, Committee for Social Development

6 December 2007