COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 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
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Alban Maginness 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)
Ms Jennifer Betts - Assembly Research & Library Services (Item 10 only)
Apologies: Mr Fra McCann MLA
The meeting opened at 11.02am in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2007
Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.
3. Matters arising
i The Committee agreed a letter of response to the Minister in relation to the Interdepartmental Affordability Review Implementation Group.
ii The Clerk updated Members on arrangements for the Committee visit to the Crumlin Road Gaol/Girdwood Barracks regeneration site.
Agreed – It was agreed to defer the visit to Crumlin Road Gaol/Girdwood Barracks until January 2008. The Committee agreed that the briefing from the Department on the draft Masterplan for the site should be scheduled for 11 October 2007 in Parliament Buildings.
4. Chairperson’s business
i The Chairperson informed Members that the Committee for Finance and Personnel had advised that it intended to invite officials from the Citizens Advice Bureau to give evidence in relation to the consultation on the Department of Finance and Personnel’s Domestic Rating Review.
ii The Chairperson proposed that, in order to publicise the work carried out by the Committee, responses to departmental consultations and budgets, plus speeches given by the Chairperson on behalf of the Committee should be published on the Assembly website.
Agreed – It was agreed that this information should be published on the Assembly website.
5. Commencement Orders in respect of Welfare Reform Act
The Committee noted the Department’s letter in relation to a series of Commencement Orders it intended to make to bring into operation the provisions of the Welfare Reform Act.
6. Proposed Statutory Rule
The Committee considered the following proposed Statutory Rule:
The Social Security (Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007.
Agreed – The Committee was content with the Department’s proposal to make the Statutory Rule.
11.10am. Mr Cobain joined the meeting.
7. Consultation with Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships
Agreed – The Committee agreed a letter and questionnaire to issue to the Chairperson of each Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership.
The Committee considered a letter from the Chairperson of the Strabane Neighbourhood Partnership raising concerns about implementation and funding of Neighbourhood Renewal.
Agreed – It was agreed that the Clerk should write to advise Mr Gallagher that the Committee would be consulting formally with all Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships in the near future and that his letter would be considered in more detail when considering the consultation responses.
Agreed – The Committee agreed a press release relating to the consultation with Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships.
The Committee considered the Department’s response in relation to the distribution of the £164 million for deprivation related need by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
Agreed – It was agreed to consider how all departments distribute funds for Neighbourhood Renewal when the Committee reviews progress under the Strategy on 13 December 2007.
8. Correspondence
i The Committee considered a letter from the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) requesting to meet the Committee in relation to a number of issues affecting the voluntary and community sector including the impending Charities Bill.
Agreed – It was agreed to invite NICVA and the Department to brief the Committee on the outworking of the report of the Taskforce on Resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector - Investing Together, and government’s response - Positive Steps. It was also agreed that NICVA should be invited to brief the Committee when it takes evidence on the proposed Charities Bill.
ii The Committee received details of a seminar on the effective provision of affordable and sustainable housing to be held in Sheffield on 9 November 2007. Mr Burns and Mr Cobain expressed an interest in attending the seminar.
Agreed – It was agreed that a small number of Members should attend the event to represent the Committee and that any other Member who wished to express an interest should contact the Clerk by Tuesday 2 October 2007.
iii The Committee considered the Department’s response in relation to the Households Below Average Income Northern Ireland 2005/06 report.
Agreed – It was agreed that Save the Children, Help the Aged and Age Concern should be invited to brief the Committee on child/pensioner poverty issues in light of the results of the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) Northern Ireland 2005/06 report. It was also agreed that the Department should be invited to brief the Committee on the results of the HBAI 2005/06 report and previous reports and the Department’s responsibilities under Lifetime Opportunities, government’s Anti- Poverty and Social Inclusion Strategy.
iv The Committee noted the Minister’s letter and briefing paper in response to its request for information on the short-listed change options in relation to the Strategic Business Review of the Social Security Agency.
9. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
11.34am. The meeting moved into closed session.
10. Briefing on research commissioned on inquiry topic
Ms Jennifer Betts from Assembly Research and Library Services briefed Members on the research paper prepared to assist the Committee in its consideration of the agreed inquiry topic. The Chairperson thanked Ms Betts for the briefing.
Agreed – The Committee agreed the scope of the inquiry. The Clerk was asked to draft Terms of Reference for the inquiry for consideration by the Committee.
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,
4 October 2007 at 11.00am in Room 135 Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.56am.