COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Minutes of Proceedings
Thursday, 7 February 2008
Room 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Gregory Campbell (Chairperson)
Mr David Hilditch (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Fred Cobain 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)
Mr James Moore – Work Experience Student
Apologies:
Ms Anna Lo MLA
The meeting opened at 10.39am in public session.
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Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
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Chairperson’s business
The Chairperson informed Members that the Committee motion on the extension of the Committee Stage of the Charities Bill was scheduled for plenary on 12 February 2008.
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Draft minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2008
Agreed – The draft minutes were agreed.
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Matters arising
i. Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) Report on Social Security Benefit Fraud and Error
The Chairperson advised Members that the Clerk had been informed that the Committee should take no further action on the NIAO Report on Social Security Benefit Fraud and Error, as it was being taken forward by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Agreed – To await the outcome of the PAC report and subsequent response from the Department for Social Development .
ii. Urban Renewal Scheme in the Village area of south Belfast
Mr McCann expressed concern that the business case for the proposed Urban Renewal Scheme in the Village area of south Belfast had only recently been passed to the Department of Finance and Personnel by the Department for Social Development.Agreed – To write to the Department for Social Development about this matter.
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Committee Stage of the Charities Bill – evidence session
The following representatives from Cleaver Fulton Rankin Solicitors joined the meeting at 10.45am:
Alastair Rankin – Senior Partner
Jennifer Ebbage – Partner
Joy Scott – Partner.The representatives gave oral evidence on the Charities Bill. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 10.46am.
Mr Maginness joined the meeting at 11.01am.
Mr Cobain joined the meeting at 11.05am.
The Chairperson thanked the representatives for the oral evidence.
The representatives left the meeting at 11.44am.
The Chairperson informed Members that a number of religious groups had written to the Committee with queries in relation to Designated Religious Status.
Agreed – It was agreed that the briefing paper on Designated Religious Status, prepared by Assembly Research and Library Services, should be sent to the religious groups that had written to the Committee specifically on this matter.
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Briefing by Mr David McNarry MLA on his proposed Private Members’ Bill on payment of Carer’s Allowance
Mr David McNarry MLA joined the meeting at 11.47am and briefed the Committee on his proposed Private Members’ Bill in relation to payment of Carer’s Allowance. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked Mr McNarry for the informative briefing.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 12.05pm.
Mr Maginness left the meeting at 12.05pm.
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Inter-Departmental Group Report on Fuel Poverty
The Committee considered the Department for Social Development’s response to the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group recommendations contained in the Inter-Departmental Group Report on Fuel Poverty.
Agreed – To write to the Minister along the lines set out in the Clerk’s briefing paper.
Mr Cobain left the meeting at 12.07pm.
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Proposed Statutory Rule (SL1)
The Committee considered the following proposed Statutory Rule:
The Social Security Pensions (Home Responsibilities) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Agreed – The Committee was content with the Department’s proposal to make the Statutory Rule.
The Chairperson expressed concern that relevant staff from the Social Security Agency were not fully briefed on the proposed new regulations to enable them to assist members of the public with their enquiries on Home Responsibilities Protection.
Agreed – It was agreed that there was an urgent need to ensure that relevant staff from the Social Security Agency received appropriate training on this matter. The Chairperson should write to the Minister seeking an assurance that this will be carried out, and to inform Members when all relevant staff had been trained.
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Briefing by officials from the Department for Social Development on the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985: Sunday opening of Bookmaking Offices and Bingo Clubs
The following officials joined the meeting at 12.08pm:
Linda MacHugh – Director, Urban Regeneration Strategy
Veronica Holland – Head of Social Policy Unit
Anne Johnston – Social Policy Unit.The officials briefed the Committee on proposed changes to the betting and gaming law in Northern Ireland. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Mr Cobain rejoined the meeting at 12.14pm.
Mr Cobain left the meeting at 12.15pm.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 12.29pm.
Agreed – As there was no consensus within the Committee on the Department’s
proposed changes to the betting and gaming law in Northern Ireland, it was agreed to
take a vote on the matter.
Mr Craig proposed that the Committee rejects the Minister’s current proposal in relation to changes to the betting and gaming law in Northern Ireland. Miss McIlveen seconded the proposal.
The Committee divided on Mr Craig’s proposal. The following Members voted for the proposal:
Mr Campbell, Mr Craig, Mr Hilditch, Miss McIlveen.
The following Members voted against the proposal:
Mr Brady, Mr Burns, Mr McCann, Mrs McGill.
The proposal therefore fell.
Agreed – To inform the Minister that the Committee had noted the proposed changes to the betting and gaming law in Northern Ireland, and that there was no agreed Committee view on the proposals.Mr Campbell left the meeting at 12.32pm. Mr Hilditch took the chair.
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Correspondence
i. The Committee considered proposed amendments to the Westminster Pensions Bill to
cater for the extension of the Financial Assistance Scheme.
Agreed – The Committee was content with the legislative consent motion on a ‘without
prejudice’ basis in advance of formal clearance by the Executive.
ii. The Committee received details of a conference on ‘Meeting Northern Ireland’s
Housing Needs’ to be held in the Stormont Hotel on 5 March 2008. The Deputy
Chairperson asked that Members wishing to attend the conference should contact the
Clerk by 14 February 2008.
iii. The Committee noted the Minister’s explanation for the late submission of the
Department’s written evidence to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and
Deputy First Minister’s inquiry into child poverty.
With reference to the Chairperson’s letter to the Minister dated 17 January 2008 in
relation to this matter, Mrs McGill asked that it be recorded that she objected to the use
of the word ‘considered’, and would have preferred the word ‘noted’.
iv. The Committee noted the Minister’s response in relation to the timescale for
completion of the feasibility study on the Andersonstown Gateway Area.
v. The Committee noted correspondence from the Northern Ireland Fuel Poverty Advisory
Group.
Agreed – In relation to the letter to be sent to the Minister regarding the Inter-
Departmental Group Report on Fuel Poverty (item 7), it was agreed to include a request
that an organisation representing older people should be included in the membership of
the Northern Ireland Fuel Poverty Advisory Group.
vi. The Committee considered correspondence from Portstewart Community Vision
regarding increasing problems of isolation caused by planning policies in Portstewart
and Portballintrae.
Agreed – To forward the correspondence to the Department for comment on the DSD
issues raised, and advise Ms Hamilton accordingly.
vii. The Committee considered correspondence from the Greater Village Regeneration Trust, requesting to brief the Committee on the regeneration of the Village area of south
Belfast.
Agreed – To invite representatives of the Trust to an informal reception to be hosted by the Committee in Parliament Buildings.
viii. The Committee considered correspondence from the Healthy Living Centres Regional
Alliance, requesting to brief the Committee on its work.
Agreed – To invite representatives of the Alliance to an informal reception to be hosted
by the Committee in Parliament Buildings.
ix. The Committee considered correspondence from the West Belfast Partnership,
requesting to brief the Committee in relation to implementation of the Neighbourhood
Renewal Strategy.Agreed – To invite representatives of the Partnership to an informal reception for Neighbourhood Renewal groups to be hosted by the Committee in Parliament Buildings.
x. The Committee considered correspondence from the Cloona Child Contact Centre
regarding a shortfall in funding from the Department for Social Development.
Agreed – To forward the correspondence to the Department for comment and advise
Ms O’Kelly accordingly.
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Forward Work Programme
Charities Bill
Agreed – In view of the queries raised by a number of religious groups in relation to Designated Religious Status, it was agreed to invite representatives from the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission to brief the Committee at its meeting on 21 February 2008.
Agreed – At the meeting on 14 February 2008, consideration should be given to hearing oral evidence from some of the religious groups that had written to the Committee in relation to Designated Religious Status.
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Any other business
None.
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Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 14 February 2008 at 11.00am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.47pm.