Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

THURSDAY, 07 JUNE 2007
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA

In Attendance:
Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
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)

Apologies:
Mr Fred Cobain MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA

The meeting opened at 11.02am in closed session.

  1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.
11.04am. The meeting moved into public session.

  1. Minutes of the meeting held on 31 May 2007

Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.

  1. Matters arising

The Chairperson informed Members that Ricky Rowledge, Chair of the Voluntary Sector Housing Policy Forum, had confirmed her attendance at the meeting on 14 June to brief the Committee on homelessness issues.

The Chairperson informed Members that a letter had issued to the Minister, requesting that the Northern Ireland Federation of Clubs is consulted in relation to the Liquor Licensing Review.

The Chairperson informed Members that there had been some slippage in relation to the provisional timings for the passage of the proposed Charities Bill, and as a consequence, the Committee Stage was now likely to begin after the summer recess.

  1. Chairperson’s business

The Committee discussed the events in plenary on 4 June 2007 in relation to the accelerated passage motion for the Welfare Reform Bill. Members expressed some concern that a precedent had been set to preclude Members from speaking to a motion requesting accelerated passage.

Agreed – The Committee agreed to write to the Speaker to seek clarification on the matter.

  1. Draft Corporate/Business Plan 2007-2008 for the Department for Social Development

The Committee considered a draft response to the Minister regarding the Department’s Draft Corporate/Business Plan for 2007/08.

Agreed – The Committee agreed the letter to the Minister.

  1. Briefing on the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy

The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the meeting at 11.19am:

John McGrath – Deputy Secretary, Urban Regeneration and Community Development Group
Linda MacHugh – Director, Urban Regeneration Strategy Directorate
Angela Clarke – Head of Neighbourhood Renewal Unit

Mr McGrath briefed the Committee on the key elements of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, and outlined the position with regard to implementation of the Strategy. This was followed by a question and answer session.

Mrs McGill declared the following interest – Councillor, Strabane District Council.

12.12pm. Miss McIlveen joined the meeting.

The officials agreed to provide the Committee with the following information:

a) The extent to which Government Departments have taken Neighbourhood Renewal
into account in 2008-2011 Budgets;
b) details of the specific areas that each of the departments are focusing on; and
c) details of regional targets set to measure the impact of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, as soon as available.

Agreed – The Committee agreed to review progress on the implementation of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy at the end of 2007.

The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.

The officials left the meeting at 12.22pm.

  1. Correspondence

The Committee considered a letter regarding a personal housing problem.

Agreed – As the letter appeared to be intended for the Minister’s attention, it was agreed to forward it to the Minister for response and advise the sender accordingly.

  1. Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.

Agreed – It was agreed to invite Paddy McIntyre, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, to brief the Committee on the NIHE Corporate and Business Plan 2007/08-2009/10 on 28 June 2007.

Agreed – It was agreed to invite representatives from the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations to brief the Committee on social housing issues on 28 June 2007.

  1. Any other business

In response to a query raised by Mrs McGill, the Chairperson reminded Members that, when speaking about issues that fall within the remit of Social Development, Members should make it clear whether they are expressing the agreed view of the Committee or whether they are expressing their own personal view.

  1. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee for Social Development will be held on Thursday,
14 June 2007 at 11.00am in Room 135 Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.32pm.

Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Social Development
14 June 2007

 

31 May 2007 / MENU