MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS AT 1:45 PM ON WEDNESDAY, 21 MARCH 2001

Present:
Dr J Hendron (Chairman)
Mr P Berry
Rev R Coulter
Ms C Hanna
Mr T Gallagher (Deputy Chairman)
Mr J Kelly
Mr A McFarland
Ms M McWilliams
Ms S Ramsey
Mrs I Robinson

Apologies:
Ms P Armitage

In Attendance:
Mr G Martin (Committee Clerk)
Mr D Harkin (Assistant Clerk)
Ms V Artt (Executive Support)
Mrs K McFerran (Administrative Support)

Dr Hendron took the Chair at 1:52 pm.

1. Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the meeting of 14 March were agreed.

2. Matters Arising

There were no matters arising.

3. Family Law Bill

The Chairman advised that Officials from the Office of Law Reform would speak to their written response providing further information on their oral evidence given to the Committee on 7 March 2001. The Committee continued its deliberations and considered an options paper setting out the consultees' various arguments on the Bill's main principles.

Office of Law Reform

Dept. of Finance and Personnel Officials: Ms Claire Archbold
Mr Neil Lambe

The Chairman welcomed the Officials to the meeting at 2:40 pm, after which they spoke to their written response to the Committee's previous request for further information on aspects of the Bill. The entire proceedings are recorded separately in verbatim minutes of evidence. The Chairman thanked the Officials for their input, and they left the meeting at 3:10 pm.

Clause 1 was agreed with the proviso that the Department of Finance and Personnel bring forward amendments to paragraphs (2) (c) and (3) (1A) stating that unmarried fathers and step-parents should acquire parental responsibility through the courts where this is in the best interests of the child.

Clause 3 - Agreed

4. AOB

1. Agreed: The Chairman advised that the Committee of the Centre proposes to have an inquiry into the role and remit of the Commissioner for Children. Members were content with the Clerk's reply to that Committee referring it to the suggested remit for the Commissioner in the recent Report of this Committee into Residential and Secure Accommodation for Children in Northern Ireland.

2. Agreed: Following a recent request from the Registered Homes Confederation for an urgent meeting with the Committee on the issue of residents fees, the Chairman will initially write to the Minister to ask why the HSS Boards' original proposal for a 5% increase in fees has apparently been scaled down by the Department to 3.5%.

5. Date and Time of the Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 28 March 2001 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting ended at 3:20 pm.

DR J HENDRON
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

March 2001

20 March 2001 / Menu / 28 March 2001