COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 11 September 2008
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr David Simpson MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Fred Cobain
MLA Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
In Attendance:
Ms Marie Austin (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Oliver Bellew (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Clairita Frazer (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Joy Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Lorraine McFarland (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened at 11.02am in private session.
1. Apologies
Mr Thomas Burns.
2. Proposed Statutory Rules (SL1s) The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No.2) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
The Committee agreed to consider this proposed Statutory Rule further at next week’s meeting and to request an oral briefing from officials on same.
The meeting moved into open session at 11.09am.
3. Chairperson’s business
3.1 Members agreed the Committee’s contribution to the Assembly Commission’s Annual Report.
3.2 The Chairperson advised the Committee of a recent informal discussion he and the Clerk had had with Departmental officials on developer contributions and other relevant housing matters.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite the Minister to a future meeting to brief Members on her new housing agenda. The briefing should cover developer contributions, shared equity schemes and mortgage rescue schemes.
3.3 Members noted that the Charities Bill NIA 9/07 had received Royal Assent on Tuesday 9 September 2008.
4. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2008
Agreed: The draft minutes were agreed.
5. Matters arising
5.1 Administration of Disability Living Allowance
The Committee noted correspondence received from the Department and from the President of the Appeals Service in relation to Committee queries on the administration of Disability Living Allowance.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Committee Clerk would draft a report on the administration of Disability Living Allowance for Members’ consideration at a future meeting.
5.2 Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships
The Committee noted correspondence from the Department in relation to Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships.
Agreed: It was agreed that Departmental officials would be invited to attend next week’s meeting to address Members’ concerns in relation to the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of Neighbourhood Renewal to local councils and other matters.
6. September Monitoring Round.
Barney McGahan, an official from the Department for Social Development joined the meeting at 11:20am.
The official briefed the Committee on the Department’s September Monitoring Round return.
The Chairperson thanked the official for the briefing.
The official left the meeting at 11.40am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it would write to the Minister for Social Development expressing its concern at the lack of timely information provided to the Committee. The Committee also agreed to write to the Minister for Finance and Personnel to seek clarification on the scrutiny role of statutory committees.
Ms Lo left the meeting at 11.44am.
7. Proposed Statutory Rules (SL1s)
The Committee considered the following proposed Statutory Rules:
7.1 The Social Security (Incapacity Benefit Work-focused Interviews) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek further information.
7.2 The Gaming (Variation of Monetary Limits) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
The Committee noted the Minister for Social Development’s withdrawal of the above proposal.
8. Statutory Rule laid in the Assembly
The Committee considered the following Statutory Rules which are subject to negative resolution and have been laid in the Assembly:
The Pension Protection Fund (Entry Rules) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
The Social Security (Students and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
The Employment and Support Allowance Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
The Employment and Support Allowance (Transitional Provisions) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
The Employment and Support Allowance (Consequential Provisions) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Temporary Increase) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
The Welfare Reform Act (Relevant Statutory Provision) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
The Social Fund (Applications and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
The Housing Benefit (Extended Payments) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008; and
The Social Security (Use of Information for Housing Benefit and Welfare Services Purposes) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Questions put and agreed :
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No.303The Pension Protection Fund (Entry Rules) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No. 262 The Social Security (Students and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No. 280 The Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No. 283 The Employment and Support Allowance (Transitional Provisions) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No. 286 The Employment and Support Allowance (Consequential Provisions) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No. 289 The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Temporary Increase) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No.342 The Welfare Reform Act (Relevant Statutory Provision) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No. 357 The Social Fund (Applications and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No. 285 T he Housing Benefit (Extended Payments) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No. 343The Social Security (Use of Information for Housing Benefit and Welfare Services Purposes) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
The Committee also considered the following Statutory Rule which is subject to confirmatory resolution in the Assembly and has been laid in the Assembly:
The Social Security (Students Responsible for Children or Young Persons) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Question put and agreed:
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008 No. 290 The Social Security (Students Responsible for Children or Young Persons) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report recommends that it be confirmed by the Assembly.”
Ms Lo rejoined the meeting at 11.54am.
9. Research papers
Mr Cobain joined the meeting at 12.09pm.
The Committee Researcher presented her research papers on Developer Contributions and Shared Equity Schemes and answered Members’ questions.
10. Correspondence
10.1 The Committee considered correspondence from the Social Security Agency in relation to the delay in publication of the draft proposals for the Strategic Business Review of the Social Security Agency. The Committee also considered correspondence from NIPSA requesting an opportunity to give evidence to Members in relation to the Review.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Committee would consider NIPSA’s request to give evidence once an update on the draft proposals had been received from the Department.
10.2 The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister in relation to the Procurement Strategy for the Social Housing Development Programme.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Minister should be invited to brief the Committee on this matter at a future Committee meeting.
10.3 The Committee noted correspondence from the Department in relation to achieving efficiency in social housing construction work through collaborative working.
10.4 The Committee considered a number of pieces of correspondence received from the Minister in relation to ongoing issues concerning European Social Fund – Match Funding Bids.
Agreed: It was agreed that an update would be requested from the Minister in relation to applications.
10.5 The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister on the relationship between government and the third sector and the Dormant Accounts Fund.
10.6 The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister in relation to the Springvale Masterplan.
Agreed: It was agreed to request information from the Department on the outcome of the consultation with the West Belfast Partnership Board and the Greater Shankill Partnerships Board. The Committee also agreed to invite the Participation and the Practice of Rights Group to a future meeting to discuss their recent report “Changing Patterns of the Past” and to invite comments from the Minister on the report.
10.7 The Committee considered a letter from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister regarding the Executive Programme Fund for Children and Young People.
Agreed: It was agreed that a draft response to the letter should be prepared by the Committee Clerk for consideration at a future meeting.
10.8 The Committee noted a letter from the Clerk to the Committee for Finance and Personnel in relation to the Committee Inquiry into the Role of the Northern Ireland Assembly in Scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure.
Agreed: It was agreed that a draft response should be prepared by the Committee Clerk for consideration at a future meeting.
10.9 The Committee considered correspondence from the Clerk to the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development in relation to its report into “Renewable Energy and Alternative Land Use”.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Committee would not respond to the Inquiry but that the correspondence should be forwarded to the Minister. The Committee agreed to request a copy of the Minister’s submission to the Inquiry.
10.10 The Committee considered a formal invitation from the Carvill Group, inviting the Committee to visit Woodbrook Eco Village in Lisburn.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Committee Clerk would make the necessary arrangements for the visit and confirm these at a future Committee meeting.
10.11 The Committee noted correspondence from the Presbytery of Coleraine regarding ongoing concerns in relation to development plan for the Abbey Street of Coleraine town centre.
Agreed: It was agreed that the correspondence would be forwarded to the Department.
10.12 The Committee noted correspondence on a specific ongoing housing issue.
Agreed: It was agreed that the correspondence would be forwarded to the Department.
11. Forward work programme
The Committee considered the Forward Work Programme. The Clerk advised Members that the Departmental oral briefing on the Voluntary and Community Unit’s forward work programme had been postponed.
Agreed: It was agreed that a written briefing on the forward work programme of the Unit should be requested for consideration at next week’s meeting.
12. Any other business
None.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.45pm.