COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 11 OCTOBER 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 Jonathan Craig MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Martin Wilson (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
The meeting opened at 11.04am in public session
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 4 October 2007
Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.
3. Proposed Statutory Rule
The Committee considered the following proposed Statutory Rule:
The Social Security (Housing Costs and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (NI) 2007.
Agreed – The Committee was content with the Department’s proposal to make the Statutory Rule.
4. Review of District Council Drinking in Public Bye-Laws
The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister in relation to the review of District Council drinking in public bye-laws.
Agreed – It was agreed that specific information on the time-frame for the review and introduction of the proposed legislation should be requested from the Department.
5. Draft Terms of Reference for Inquiry
Agreed – The Committee agreed the Terms of Reference for its inquiry into town centre regeneration. It also agreed a press release announcing the inquiry.
Agreed – It was agreed that the regeneration of Belfast and Derry/Londonderry should be considered by the Committee at a future date.
6. Briefing on Child Support Reform
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the
meeting at 11.20am:
Barney McGahan – Deputy Secretary, Resources, Housing & Social Security Group
Margaret Sisk – Social Security Policy and Legislation Division
Andrea Orr – Director of Resources
Mr Maginness joined the meeting at 11.29am.
The officials briefed the Committee in relation to Child Support Reform recently announced by the Minister. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The officials agreed to obtain for the Committee, information comparing the performance of private companies in Great Britain against returns for the Department of Work and Pensions.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 11.42am.
7. Correspondence
i
The Committee considered responses from the Minister in relation to the Interdepartmental Affordability Review Implementation Group and the draft Social Housing Procurement Strategy.
Agreed – As a number of areas had not been addressed in the responses from the Minister, it was agreed that officials should attend the Committee meeting on 18 October 2007 to address any outstanding issues.
ii
The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety welcoming views on its inquiry into the prevention of suicide and self harm.
The Chairperson asked Members to forward any comments in relation to the inquiry to the Clerk by 16 October 2007.
Agreed – The Committee was content for the letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety to be forwarded to Minister Ritchie in relation to the inquiry.
iii
The Committee noted the Minister’s response to its request for her comments on the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General in relation to the Social Security Agency Annual Report & Accounts 2006/07.
iv The Committee noted the response from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive regarding the issues raised by Alderman William Hay on the lengthy waiting time for consideration of preliminary grant applications in Foyle constituency.
Agreed – It was agreed to write to Mr Hay enclosing the response from the Housing Executive.
v
The Committee considered the response from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive regarding the issues raised by Lady Sylvia Hermon on the lack of immediate access to a main road for residents in Prior’s Lea, Holywood, and the consequences of this for emergency vehicles and refuse collection.
Agreed – It was agreed that the Housing Executive’s letter should be forwarded to the Committee for Regional Development and that the Clerk should write to Lady Hermon informing her of the position and enclosing the response from the Housing Executive.
vi
The Committee noted a letter that Delta Security NI Ltd had sent to the First Minister in relation to the issue of Drug Detection Dogs.
vii
The Committee considered correspondence from Councillor Ruth Lynch, Fermanagh District Council, requesting support for the continuation of the Local Community Fund.
Agreed – It was agreed to write to the Department in general terms in support of the Local Community Fund and to inform Councillor Lynch accordingly.
8. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
The meeting moved into closed session at 12.03pm.
9. Briefing on the draft Masterplan for Crumlin Road Gaol/Girdwood Barracks
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the
meeting at 12.03pm:
Roy Adams - Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel
Declan McGeown - Director, North Belfast Community Action Unit
Brian Lundy - North Belfast Community Action Unit
The officials briefed the Committee on the development of the draft Masterplan for Crumlin Road Gaol/Girdwood Barracks regeneration site. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 12.49pm.
Agreed – It was agreed to write to the Minister asking her to ensure wide consultation on the draft Masterplan, and in particular, consultation on a cross-community basis. It was also agreed to request a written and oral briefing on the results of the consultation and, at that point, consider the matter further.
10. Any other business
Mr Brady raised the issue of funding for the Conflict Transformation Initiative project.
Agreed – It was agreed to write to the Minister to seek clarification regarding the criteria used by the Department for Social Development to determine the allocation of funding to groups or initiatives.
11. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Social Development will be held on Thursday, 18 October 2007 at 11.00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.56pm.