COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 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
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA
In Attendance: 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: Mrs Claire McGill MLA
The meeting opened at 10.35am in public session
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 8 November 2007
Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.
3. Matters arising
Proposed Statutory Rules
The Committee considered the further information provided by the Department in relation to the following proposed Statutory Rules:
The Housing Benefit (Executive Determinations) Regulations (NI) 2007; The Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007; The Housing Benefit (State Pension Credit) (Local Housing Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007; The Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance) (Miscellaneous and Consequential Amendments) Regulations (NI) 2007.
Agreed – It was agreed that officials should attend a Committee meeting to brief Members further on the proposals.
4. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson informed Members that a Freedom of Information request had been received by the Clerk and that the Assembly Freedom of Information Unit was dealing with the request.
5. Proposed Statutory Rule
The Committee considered the following proposed Statutory Rule:
The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Joint Claims) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2008.
Agreed – The Committee was content with the Department’s proposal to make the Statutory Rule.
6. Statutory Rule laid in the Assembly
The Committee considered the following Statutory Rule which is subject to negative resolution and has been laid in the Assembly:
The Occupational Pension Schemes (EEA States) Regulations (NI) 2007.
Question put and agreed:
That the Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2007 No. 457 The Occupational Pension Schemes (EEA States) Regulations (NI) 2007 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.
7. Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration – oral evidence from the Department for Social Development
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the
meeting at 10.40am:
John McGrath – Deputy Secretary, Urban Regeneration & Community
Development Group
Linda MacHugh – Director, Urban Regeneration Strategy
Ian Snowden – Regional Development Unit
The officials gave oral evidence on the Committee Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Mr Cobain joined the meeting at 10.59am.
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 11.08am.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 11.34am.
8. Briefing on child and pensioner poverty
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the
meeting at 11.34am:
Dave Wall – Director, Central Policy and Co-ordination Unit
Dr Chris Morris – Departmental Principal Statistician
The officials briefed the Committee on issues relating to child and pensioner poverty and the Households Below Average Income Report 2005/06. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Mr Brady left the meeting at 11.46am.
The officials agreed to provide the Committee with a breakdown of costs associated with the delivery of the Benefit Uptake Programme.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 12.09pm.
9. Correspondence
i The Committee noted the correspondence from Sir Richard Tilt, Chairman of the Social Security Advisory Committee, following his meeting with Mr Brady and Mr McCann on 29 October 2007.
ii The Committee considered correspondence from the Galliagh Community Development Group inviting it to witness at first hand some of the community projects and services it provides.
Agreed – It was agreed that a Committee visit to witness the work of the Galliagh Community Development Group should be scheduled at an appropriate date.
iii The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister in relation to the future of the Local Community Fund.
iv The Committee noted correspondence from the Chairperson of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister inviting views on the Draft Programme for Government and Draft Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland.
v The Committee considered correspondence from the Northern Ireland Co-Ownership Housing Association requesting to brief the Committee in relation to the Semple Review.
Agreed – It was agreed that representatives from the Northern Ireland Co-Ownership Housing Association should be invited to brief the Committee when it is considering the Semple Review.
vi The Committee considered correspondence from the Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission in relation to the proposal to introduce a simplified means test for determining financial eligibility for Civil Legal Aid in Northern Ireland.
Agreed – It was agreed that the Committee would not respond to the consultation, however, individual Members were welcome to respond.
10. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme. Members were content for the Committee meeting on 6 December 2007 to be a full day meeting, starting at 10.30am.
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, 22 November 2007 at 11.00am in Room 135 Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.15pm.
Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Social Development
22 November 2007