COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 21 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
Mr Fred Cobain MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLAIn Attendance:
Ms Marie Austin (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Neil Currie (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Joy Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Lorraine McFarland (Clerical Officer)Apologies:
Mr Jonathan Craig MLAThe meeting opened at 11.00am in closed session.
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Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
11.02am. The meeting moved into public session.
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Minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2007
Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.
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Matters arising
The Committee noted the response from the Speaker in relation to the events in plenary on 4 June 2007, with regard to the accelerated passage motion for the Welfare Reform Bill.
The Chairperson informed Members that a letter had issued to the Minister, seeking an explanation as to why the Executive Committee’s consideration of the homelessness strategy had been delayed.
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Statutory Rule 2007 No. 297 – The Register of Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007
The Committee considered the following Statutory Rule which is subject to negative resolution and has been laid in the Assembly:
The Register of Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007.
Question put and agreed:
That the Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2007
No. 297 The Register of Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.
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Statutory Rule 2007 No. 298 – The Social Security (Students and Income-related Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007
The Committee considered the following Statutory Rule which is subject to negative resolution and has been laid in the Assembly:
The Social Security (Students and Income-related Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007
Question put and agreed:
That the Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2007
No. 298 The Social Security (Students and Income-related Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.
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DSD Business Plan 2006/07 – End of Year Position Report
The Committee considered the Department’s End of Year Position Report on the 2006/07 Business Plan. The Clerk was asked to obtain clarification from the Department on the following issues relating to the targets for the Social Housing New Build Programme – Target 5a(i):
(a) The target for homes completed in 2006/07, and to what extent the target had been
achieved; together with information on current year and future targets that had
been set; and
(b) confirmation that ‘homes’ and ‘units’ meant the same thing and could be used
interchangeably.
Agreed – It was agreed to invite officials from the Department to attend the Committee meeting on 6 September 2007, to brief Members on the End of Year Position Report.
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Briefing on the proposed Pensions Bill
11.10am. Mr Burns joined the meeting.
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the meeting at 11.10am:
John O’Neill – Director, Social Security Policy and Legislation Division
Gerry McCann – Social Security Policy and Legislation Division
Mr O’Neill briefed the Committee on the purpose and main provisions of the proposed Pensions Bill. This was followed by a question and answer session.11.24am. Mrs McGill left the meeting.
11.45am. Mr Maginness joined the meeting.
The officials agreed to provide the Committee with the following information:
(a) The net effect of the changes on female retirees resulting from the change
in the number of qualifying years; and
(b) the effect of the abolition of contracting out for a defined contributions scheme on
a person on average earnings, and in particular, the effect on someone who had
contracted out of S2P previously on Government suggestion and had then
contracted back into S2P at a later date.11.56am. Ms Lo left the meeting.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 11.58am.
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Briefing on the Strategic Business Review of the Social Security Agency
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the meeting at 11.59am:
Bryan Davis – Chief Executive, Social Security Agency
Colum Boyle – Director of Business Development, Social Security Agency
John O’Neill – Corporate Projects Manager, Social Security Agency
Mr Davis briefed the Committee on the key elements of the Strategic Business Review of the Social Security Agency. This was followed by a question and answer session.12.23pm. Mr Cobain left the meeting.
The officials agreed to provide the Committee with the following information:
(a) A breakdown of Social Security Agency absenteeism statistics by grade and
duration of absence; and
(b) further information on the four change options that had been short listed, detailing
the advantages and disadvantages of each option.The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 12.47pm.
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Correspondence
The Committee noted a letter from the Minister, in which she thanked the Committee for its letter of support regarding the need for additional resources, particularly to fund the New Build Social Housing Programme. The Minister’s letter also addressed the queries raised by Members when she attended the Committee meeting on
24 May 2007.
The Chairperson informed Members that a report entitled, ‘Foundations for the Future – The Review of Environmental Governance’, had been received and could be viewed in the Committee Office.
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Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
The Chairperson informed Members that the Clerk had arranged for the Minister and her officials to attend the Committee meeting scheduled for 5 July 2007, to brief Members on the bids submitted in relation to the Comprehensive Spending Review.
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Any other business
None.
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Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Social Development will be held on Thursday,
28 June 2007 at 11.00am in Room 135 Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.50pm.Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Social Development28 June 2007