COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 17 APRIL 2008
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 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)
Ms Jennifer Betts – Assembly Research and Library Services (Item 5 only)
Apologies:
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
The meeting opened at 11.05am in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Chairperson’s business
The Chairperson reminded Members about the Save the Children invitation to Hearing: Young people’s vision for the future, to be held in the Stormont Hotel, Belfast on 21 April 2008.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 10 April 2008
Agreed – The draft minutes were agreed.
4. Proposed Statutory Rules (SL1s)
The Committee considered the following proposed Statutory Rule:
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Employer Debt – Apportionment Arrangements) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2008
Agreed – The Committee was content with the Department’s proposal to make the
Statutory Rule.
The Committee noted the following proposed Statutory Instruments to be laid in Westminster:
The Financial Assistance Scheme (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2008
The Financial Assistance Scheme (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008
5. Research paper on Social and Affordable Housing
The Committee considered a research paper prepared by Assembly Research and Library Services on social and affordable housing in Europe, including examples of ‘best practice’ and innovation in social and affordable housing delivery in England and the Republic of Ireland. The research paper had been requested by the Committee with a view to visiting areas where innovative methods had been employed to tackle social/affordability housing issues.
Agreed – It was agreed to have a two-day Committee visit to Dublin in June 2008, to
see the three best practice areas referred to in the research paper. It was also agreed to
give consideration to the English and Scottish examples of best practice at a future date.
6. Department for Social Development – Draft Corporate Plan
The Committee considered the Department for Social Development’s draft Corporate
Plan for 2008 – 2011, plus a draft Supplement containing Public Service Agreement
targets for 2008 – 2009.
Agreed – To ask Departmental officials to brief the Committee on this matter.
7. Post Office closures
The Committee considered a briefing paper it had requested from the Department on
the impact of the proposed Post Office closures.
Agreed – It was agreed that the Committee should respond to the current consultation
on the proposals. The Clerk was asked to prepare a draft response to the consultation
for consideration by the Committee at its meeting on 1 May 2008.
Mr McCann left the meeting at 11.22am.
8. Mesothelioma Bill
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the meeting at 11.23am:
John O’Neill – Director, Social Security Policy & Legislation Division
Gerry McCann – Social Security Policy & Legislation Division
Doreen Roy – Social Security Policy & Legislation Division.
The officials briefed the Committee on the proposed Mesothelioma Bill. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 11.40am.
9. Child Maintenance Bill
The following officials from the Department for Social Development joined the
meeting at 11.40am:
John O’Neill – Director, Social Security Policy & Legislation Division
Margaret Sisk – Social Security Policy & Legislation Division
Chris Matthews – Child Maintenance & Enforcement Division.
The officials briefed the Committee on the proposed Child Maintenance Bill. This was
followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 11.58am.
Mr Burns left the meeting at 11.58am.
Mr Cobain left the meeting at 11.58am.
10. Correspondence
i. The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Employment and Learning, advising that its Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson were seeking a meeting with Minister Ritchie in relation to European Social Funding.
Agreed – The Committee was content for the letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Employment and Learning to be forwarded to the Minister.
ii. The Committee considered the Minister’s response to its request for clarification on some issues in her response to the recommendations of the NI Fuel Poverty Advisory Group contained in its 2007 Annual Report.
The Committee noted correspondence it had received from the Chairman of the NI Fuel Poverty Advisory Group, enclosing a copy of its response to the Minister in relation to the recommendations of the Group.
Mrs McGill expressed her dissatisfaction with the Minister’s response to the Committee in relation to Recommendation 4, regarding the development of a new fuel poverty indicator tool for Northern Ireland.
Agreed – It was agreed that Members would raise any concerns with Departmental officials when they next briefed the Committee on fuel poverty issues.
Mr Burns rejoined the meeting at 12.01pm.
iii. The Committee noted the proposed Statutory Rule and background papers relating to
the Care Tribunal (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2008 , currently under consideration
by the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
iv. The Committee considered correspondence from the Association of Town Centre
Management regarding a workshop to be held on 13 May 2008 on issues affecting
town centre management.
Agreed – It was agreed that the Committee researcher should attend the workshop.
v. The Committee noted the Department’s response to its request for further information
on thecriteria used by the Department to determine whether or not a full Equality
Impactwas necessary for Statutory Rules.
Mrs McGill left the meeting at 12.06pm.
vi. The Committee considered the views submitted by Disability Action in relation to the
draft Public Authorities (Reform) Bill.
Agreed – To respond to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy
First Minister indicating that the Committee was not opposed to the abolition of
the Disability Living Allowance Board. However, it would wish to highlight the need
for the Department for Social Development to continue to receive quality and timely
independent expert advice on Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance
matters under the proposed new arrangement.
11. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
i. Agreed – As all MLAs had been invited to the US/NI Investment Conference to be held in
Parliament Buildings from 7 to 9 May 2008, and a number of Committee Members
would be involved in the Conference, it was agreed to cancel the Committee meeting
scheduled for 8 May 2008.
ii. The Chairperson asked Members to contact the Clerk by close of play on 21 April
2008, if they wished to meet the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission for
England and Wales. Members were asked to indicate if 4 or 5 June 2008 would be the
most suitable date.
12. Committee Stage of the Charities Bill – clause-by-clause scrutiny
The Committee concluded its formal clause-by-clause scrutiny of the Charities Bill and
agreed as follows:
Mrs McGill rejoined the meeting at 12.11pm.
Clause 13
Agreed: “that the Committee is content with Clause 13 as drafted”.
Clause 122
At the meeting on 10 April 2008, the Committee agreed the wording of amended
Clause 122. Following that meeting, the Department consulted with Legislative
Counsel regarding the wording of the amended clause. Legislative Counsel’s advice on
the term “very low value” was that it would be unacceptably vague. The Department
proposed revised text which stated a value of £90,000, and how it would be determined.
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”.
The Committee considered the wording of the amendments proposed at the meeting on
10 April 2008, and agreed as follows:
Agreed: “that the Committee recommend to the Assembly that Clause 165 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 166 be amended
as agreed between the Committee and the Department, and the Committee agreed to the
text of the amendment”.
The meeting moved into closed session at 12.12pm.
The draft report on the Charities Bill was tabled.
Agreed – The Chairperson asked Members to consider the draft report and contact the
Clerk by close of play on 25 April 2008 with any amendments.
13. Any other business
None.
14. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 1 May 2008 at 11.00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.19pm.