COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Minutes of Proceedings
THURSDAY, 11 DECEMBER 2008
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr David Simpson MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Billy Armstrong MLA
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Clairita Frazer (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Joy Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Lorraine McFarland (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
none
The meeting commenced at 10.32am in public session.
1. Apologies
No apologies were received.
2. Chairperson’s Business
2.1 The Clerk asked Members to contact the Committee office if they require transport to the Eco village on 8 January 2009.
2.2 Members agreed the contents of a draft press release in relation to the visit to the Eco village on 8 January 2009.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2008
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 4 December 2008 were agreed.
4. Matters arising
Mr Hilditch joined the meeting at 10.40am.
4.1 Agreed: The Committee agreed the contents of a letter to the Minister on the Supporting People Programme.
4.2 Agreed: The Committee agreed the contents of a letter to the Minister on monitoring rounds.
5. Briefing by the Participation and the Practice of Rights Project.
Mr Armstrong joined the meeting at 10.43am.
The following representatives of the Participation and the Practice of Rights Project joined the meeting at 10.43am:
Dessie Donnelly – Participation and the Practice of Rights Project; and
Frank McMillan – Participation and the Practice of Rights Project.
The representatives briefed the Committee on their report “Changing the Patterns of the Past”. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. The Chairperson thanked the representatives for attending.
Mr Maginness joined the meeting at 11.01am.
The representatives left the meeting at 11.03am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Social Development highlighting concerns raised in relation to the North Belfast Master plans.
6. Briefing by the Construction Industry Group.
The following representatives of the Construction Industry Group joined the meeting at 11.05am:
Colin McCarthy – Chairman of the Construction Industry Group;
Ciaran Fox – Construction Industry Group; and
Paul Mongan – Construction Industry Group.
The representatives briefed the Committee on the impact of the downturn of the housing market. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. The Chairperson thanked the representatives for attending.
The representatives left the meeting at 11.39am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider this matter further once additional information had been received from the Group.
7. Briefing by Departmental officials: Local Housing Allowance.
The following Departmental officials joined the meeting at 11.44am and briefed the Committee on the second quarter report on the Local Housing Allowance:
John O’Neill – Director, Social Security Policy & Legislation Division, Department for Social Development; and
Margaret Sisk – Social Security Policy & Legislation Division, Department for Social Development.
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. The Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 11.55am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request further information from the Department in relation to Discretionary Housing Payment, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) Calculation and the LHA shortfall compared to contractual rents.
8. Briefing by Housing Rights Service: Local Housing Allowance
The following representative of Housing Rights Service joined the meeting at 11.55am:
Nicola McCrudden – Policy & Communications Manager Housing Rights Service; and
Ursula Toner – Housing Rights Service.
Mr Armstrong left the meeting at 11.56am.
The representatives briefed the Committee on the impact of the Local Housing Allowance for the period 1 July 2008 – 30 September 2008. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. The Chairperson thanked the representatives for attending.
Ms Ni Chuilín left the meeting at 12.06pm.
The representatives left the meeting at 12.06pm.
9. Briefing by Departmental officials: Social Fund consultation
The following Departmental officials joined the meeting at 12.09pm and briefed the Committee on the Department of Work and Pensions’ consultation document on proposed amendments to the Social Fund:
John O’Neill – Director, Social Security Policy & Legislation Division, Department for Social Development; and
Margaret Sisk – Social Security Policy & Legislation Division, Department for Social Development.
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. The Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing.
The briefing ended at 12.20pm.
Agreed: The Committee directed the Clerk to draft a response to the consultation document that would be cleared on the Committee’s behalf by the Chairman.
Mr Burns left the meeting at 12.28pm.
10. Proposed Statutory Rules (SL1s)
The Committee considered the following Departmental proposals to make Statutory Rules:
i) The Housing Benefit (Amendment No.2) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Noted: Some Members highlighted their concerns in relation to the above proposal.
Mr Maginness left the meeting at 12.29pm.
ii) The Social Security (Child Benefit Disregard) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
iii) The Pension Protection Fund (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
The Committee indicated that it was content that the proposed Rules be made.
11. Statutory Rules laid in the Assembly
The Committee considered the following Statutory Rule which is subject to confirmatory resolution and has been laid in the Assembly:
2008/478 The Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Noted: Some Members highlighted their concerns at the absence of an Equality Impact Assessment in relation to this Rule.
Mr O’Neill and Ms Sisk – Departmental officials briefed the Committee on this Rule at 12.32pm.
Agreed – As there was no consensus within the Committee on support for this proposal, it was agreed to take a vote on the matter.
Question put: “The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2008/478 The Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and subject to the Examiner’s report recommends that it be confirmed by the Assembly”.
The Committee divided. Ayes 5; Noes 2.
AYES
Mr Simpson, Mr Craig, Mr Hilditch, Ms Lo and Miss McIlveen.
NOES
Mr Brady, Mr McCann.
Question accordingly agreed to .
12. Correspondence
12.1 The Committee noted an email from Habinteg Housing Association offering to brief the Committee on key housing issues.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing from Habinteg into the Forward Work Programme.
13. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Committee's Forward Work Programme.
14. Any other business
Agreed: The Committee agreed that further information is sought from the Department in relation to proposed changes to the funding and infrastructural support arrangements for volunteer organisations.
15. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 8 January 2009 at 10.30am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.40pm.