Present:

Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA (Chairperson)

Mr Jonathan Craig MLA

Mr Alban Maginness MLA

Mr Fra McCann MLA

Mrs Claire McGill MLA

Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA

In Attendance:

Ms Marie Austin (Assembly Clerk)

Mrs Judith Murdoch (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Mrs Joy Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)

Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Clerical Supervisor)

Mrs Lorraine McFarland (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:

Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Mickey Brady MLA

Mr Thomas Burns MLA

Mr Fred Cobain MLA

Ms Anna Lo MLA

The meeting opened at 10.42am in public session.

1.

Apologies

As detailed above.

2.

Chairperson’s business

None.

3.

Draft minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2007

Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.

4.

Matters Arising

Mr McCann reminded Members that information requested from the Department for Social Development in relation to the amount of Housing Benefit paid throughout Northern Ireland was still outstanding.

Agreed – that the Clerk should follow up this request with the Department.

5.

Briefings on Fuel Poverty by National Energy Action (NEA) and Departmental Officials

The following representatives from National Energy Action joined the meeting at 10.47am.

Ms Pat Austin - Director, NEA Northern Ireland

John McMullan – Chairman, Northern Ireland Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (NIFPAG).

The representatives briefed the Committee on fuel poverty. This was followed by a question and answer session.

Mr Maginness left the meeting at 11.12am.

The Chairperson thanked the representatives for the briefing.

The representatives left the meeting at 11.29am.

The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the

meeting at 11.29am

Heather Cousins – Director of Housing Division

Stephen Martin – Housing Research Policy and Legislation.

The officials briefed the Committee on fuel poverty. This was followed by a question and answer session.

The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.

The officials left the meeting at 11.44am

6.

Correspondence

i

The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister for Social Development in relation to its request for a copy of the legal advice she had received on the equality aspects of the Conflict Transformation Initiative (CTI) contract.

ii

The Committee noted correspondence from the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations in relation to the draft Budget and the social housing crisis.

iii

The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister enclosing a copy of an update on the progress of the Review of Public Administration.

iv

The Committee considered correspondence from the Department for Social Development which provided information on child and pensioner poverty and Neighbourhood Renewal.

Agreed: To invite Departmental officials to brief the Committee on benefit uptake and to ask the Department for further information in relation to Neighbourhood Renewal.

7.

Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration – Evidence Session

The following representatives from the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA) joined the meeting at 11.50am.

Chris Williamson – Chief Executive, NIFHA

Marcus Patton – Hearth Housing Association

Donall Henderson – Housing Policy and Research Manager, NIFHA.

The representatives gave oral evidence on the Committee Inquiry. This was followed by a question and answer session.

The Chairperson thanked the representatives for the oral evidence.

The representatives left the meeting at 12.12pm.

The Chairperson suspended the meeting at 12.14pm.

The meeting resumed in private session at 1.07pm.

Mr Maginness rejoined the meeting at 1.07pm

8.

Draft response to the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the Draft Budget

The Committee considered the revised draft response to the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the Draft Budget.

Agreed: The draft response was agreed as amended.

9.

Draft response to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on the Draft Programme for Government and Investment Strategy

The Committee considered the reviseddraftresponse to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on the Draft Programme for Government and Investment Strategy.

Agreed: The draft response was agreed.

The meeting moved into public session at 1.25pm.

10.

Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration – Evidence Sessions

The following representatives from Ballymena Town Centre Partnership Business Improvement District joined the meeting at 1.25pm.

Alderman PJ McAvoy – Chairman of Ballymena BID

Mervyn Rankin – Ballymena BID Board Member

Fergal Eastwood – Ballymena BID Board Member.

The representatives gave oral evidence on the Committee Inquiry. This was followed by a question and answer session.

The Chairperson thanked the representatives for the oral evidence.

The representatives left the meeting at 2.06pm.

Ms McIlveen left the meeting at 2.06pm.

The following representatives from Larne Borough Council joined the meeting at 2.07pm.

Ms Geraldine McGahey – Chief Executive

Mrs Hazel Bell - Town Development Manager.

The Clerk drew the Chairperson's attention to the fact that a quorum was no longer present. The Chairperson suspended the meeting at 2.07pm.

Ms McIlveen rejoined the meeting at 2.08pm.

The committee regained its quorum and the meeting resumed in public at 2.08pm.

The representatives gave oral evidence on the Committee Inquiry. This was followed by a question and answer session.

The Chairperson thanked the representatives for the oral evidence.

The representatives left the meeting at 2.25pm.

11.

Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.

12.

Any other business

Ms McGill asked that a town in the West be invited to give oral evidence on the Committee’s Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite representatives from a town in the West region to give oral evidence to its Inquiry.

13.

Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee for Social Development will be held on Thursday, 13 December 2007 at 11.00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.27pm.

Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA

Chairperson, Committee for Social Development

13 December 2007