COMMITTEE FOR HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 10 JUNE 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Jim Wells MLA (Chairperson)
Mrs Mary Bradley MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Tommy Gallagher MLA
Mr Sam Gardiner MLA
Mr John McCallister MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Mrs Michelle O’Neill MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
In Attendance:
Mrs Stella McArdle (Clerk)
Mr Mark McQuade (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Leanne Johnston (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Neil Sedgewick (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Jessica Golden-Alexander (Clerical Officer)
Mr Craig Mealey (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA
Dr Kieran Deeny MLA
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA
The meeting commenced at 2.00 p.m. in public session
1. Apologies
Apologies as above
2. Chairperson’s Business.
The Chairperson reminded members that the next Committee meeting will take place in the Cancer Research Unit at Queens University Belfast. The Committee agreed a press release for the visit.
The Committee noted that the Safeguarding Bill was introduced on Tuesday and will have its second stage on 22 nd June after which it will be referred to the Committee.
The Committee agreed to hold an evidence session on adoption at its meeting on Thursday 1 July 2010.
The Committee agreed to discuss the ring fencing of the Health & Social Care Budget at its next meeting.
The Committee agreed that the chair should comment on the freeze on staff recruitment during the Assembly debate on the Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Main Estimates 2010-11.
2.01 p.m. Mr Tommy Gallagher joined the meeting.
2.02 p.m. Mrs Mary Bradley joined the meeting.
3. Draft Minutes of the Meeting held on 3 June 2010
The minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2010 was agreed.
4. Matters arising
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding employing PEDU to identify efficiency savings and agreed to copy this to the Committee for Finance & Personnel who raised this issue with the Committee. The Committee also agreed to ask the Committee for Finance & Personnel to provide a list of what work has been undertaken by PEDU to date.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Housing Council report on why the private sector should build homes to lifetime homes standards and agreed to ask for a timeline for the completion of and an update on the outcomes of the review.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister about the timescale for publication of the Departments New Disability Strategy and agreed to write to the Minister expressing the Committee’s disappointment that the strategy was taking so long to be released.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding the Departments intention to raise the age for Residence Orders from 16 to 18 and agreed to forward this with Mr Conall McDevitt MLA who raised the issue.
The Committee noted a response from the Social Development Minister regarding the establishment of a Cross Departmental Working Group to coordinate financial advice for Cancer sufferers and agreed to copy this to Macmillan Cancer Support who raised this issue with the Committee .
The Committee agreed a submission to the Finance & Personnel Committee’s Inquiry into the Role of the NI Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure. The Committee agreed that further comments should be sent to the Clerk by Monday 14 th June.
5. Sunbeds Bill
Evidence session with the Ulster Cancer Foundation and Northern Ireland Melanoma Strategy Implementation Group
The Committee took evidence from
Mr Tom Crossan Chair Northern Ireland Melanoma Strategy Implementation Group
Ms Sandra Gordon Ulster Cancer Foundation Melanoma Strategy Co-ordinator
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
Evidence session with the Royal College of Nursing
The Committee took evidence from
Ms Janice Smyth Director, Royal College of Nursing, Northern Ireland
Dr John Knape Head of Communications, Royal College of Nursing, Northern Ireland
A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
3.10 p.m. Mr John McCallister joined the meeting.
6. Correspondence
The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister regarding a public consultation on the proposed Fire and Rescue Services (Emergencies) (NI) Order 2010 and agreed to ask the Department to provide the Committee with a summary of the responses to the consultation when it becomes available, and a list of all who responded.
The Committee noted correspondence from William McCrea MP MLA regarding the annual core funding grant for the Northern Ireland ME Association and agreed to write to the Minister asking for an update on ME Services.
The Committee noted an invitation to the Advancing Tribunal Reform conference.
The Committee noted an invitation to the launch of “Belfast Carers at the heart of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Carers Strategy” and agreed to write to the organisers noting that this was a sitting day for the Assembly.
3.22 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill left the meeting.
3.24 p.m. Mrs Michelle O’Neill rejoined the meeting.
7. Any other business
The Committee agreed to hold an informal meeting with the ‘Save the Mid’ campaign group following the meeting.
8. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 17th June 2010 at 2.00 pm in the Cancer Research Unit at Queens University Belfast.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.28 p.m.