COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 10 APRIL 2008
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
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
Mrs Claire McGill 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)
Mr Martin Wilson (Bill Clerk)
Apologies:
Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA (Chairperson)
The meeting opened at 11.08am in public session.
-
Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
-
Draft minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2008
Agreed – The draft minutes were agreed.
-
Matters arising
The Deputy Chairperson informed the Committee that five Members had confirmed that they wished to attend the Conference of the Isles housing conference to be held in Cork on 24 and 25 April 2008. As agreed at the meeting on 3 April 2008, as three or more Members wished to attend the conference, the Committee meeting scheduled for
24 April 2008 would be cancelled.
-
Proposed Statutory Rule (SL1)
The Committee considered the following proposed Statutory Rule:
The Social Security (Students Responsible for Children or Young Persons) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2008 .
Agreed – The Committee was content with the Department’s proposal to make the
Statutory Rule.
-
Neighbourhood Renewal
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the meeting at 11.12am:
David Ferguson – Deputy Secretary, Urban Regeneration and Community Development Group
Linda MacHugh – Director of Urban Regeneration Strategy Directorate
Angela Clarke – Head of Neighbourhood Renewal Unit.
The officials briefed the Committee on the future of Neighbourhood Renewal. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 11.18am.
Mr Craig joined the meeting at 11.24am.
Mr Craig left the meeting at 12.01pm.
Mr Maginness left the meeting at 12.02pm.
The Deputy Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 12.05pm.
Agreed – To write to the Department of the Environment, the Department for Social
Development, and the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in relation
to the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of Neighbourhood Renewal to local
government, as part of the Review of Public Administration.
Mrs McGill left the meeting at 12.06pm.
-
Correspondence
i. The Committee considered correspondence including a draft ‘template’ from the Committee for Finance and Personnel in relation to committee scrutiny of departments’ positions in quarterly monitoring rounds.
Agreed – To write to the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding the ‘template’ and endorsing its recommendations to the Department of Finance and Personnel .ii. The Committee considered correspondence from the Northern Ireland Council for
Voluntary Action (NICVA) requesting to brief the Committee on the current situation
regarding funding for the voluntary and community sector, and inviting the Committee
to hold one of its Committee meetings in the NICVA offices.
Agreed – To hold a Committee meeting in the NICVA offices on a suitable date in
May 2008. Representatives from NICVA would brief the Committee at that meeting.
Mrs McGill rejoined the meeting at 12.12pm.
-
Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
Agreed – To write to the Department requesting a written briefing on the administration
of Disability Living Allowance. The Deputy Chairperson asked Members to inform the
Clerk, by close of play on 14 April 2008 , of any other points that should be included in
the letter to the Department.
-
Committee Stage of the Charities Bill – clause-by-clause scrutiny
Officials from the Department for Social Development briefed Members on the
Charities Bill.The Committee considered the wording of the amendments proposed at the meeting on
3 April 2008, and agreed as follows:Agreed: “that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 2 be amended as
agreed between the Committee and the Department, and the Committee agreed to the
text of the amendment”.Agreed: “that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 3 be amended as
agreed between the Committee and the Department, and the Committee agreed to the
text of the amendment”.Agreed: “that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 16 be amended
as agreed between the Committee and the Department, and the Committee agreed to the
text of the amendment”.The Committee continued its formal clause-by-clause scrutiny of the Bill
and agreed as follows:Clauses 74 to 121
Agreed: “that the Committee is content with Clauses 74 to 121 as drafted”.Clause 122
Agreed: “that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 122 be
amended as agreed between the Committee and the Department, and the Committee
agreed to the text of the amendment”.Clauses 123 to 129
Agreed: “that the Committee is content with Clauses 123 to 129 as drafted”.
Mr McCann left the meeting at 12.21pm.
Mr Cobain left the meeting at 12.22pm.
Clauses 130 to 149
Agreed: “that the Committee is content with Clauses 130 to 149 as drafted”. Mr Cobain and Mr McCann rejoined the meeting at 12.25pm.Clauses 150 to 158
Agreed: “that the Committee is content with Clauses 150 to 158 as drafted”.
Clause 159
Agreed: “that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 159 be removed
from the Bill”.
Clauses 160 to 164
Agreed: “that the Committee is content with Clauses 160 to 164 as drafted”.
Clauses 165 to 166
Agreed: “that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clauses 165 to 166 be
amended, subject to the Committee being satisfied with the wording of the proposed
amendments”.
Clauses 167 to 186
Agreed: “that the Committee is content with Clauses 167 to 186 as drafted”.
Schedules 1 to 9
Agreed: “that the Committee is content with Schedules 1 to 9 as drafted”.
Long Title
Agreed: “that the Committee is content with the long title as drafted”.
The Committee had expressed concern that Part 13 - Chapter 1 of the Bill (Clauses 130
- 148) did not apply to internet fundraising. The Committee considered the
Department’s response and was content that, at this stage, regulation in relation to
internet fundraising would not be appropriate.
Mr Cobain left the meeting at 12.35pm.
-
Any other business
None.
-
Date, time and place of next meeting
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.36pm.The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 17 April 2008 at 11.00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.