COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Minutes of Proceedings
THURSDAY, 29 JANUARY 2009
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr David Simpson MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Billy Armstrong MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Devlin (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Clairita Frazer (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Joy Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Lorraine McFarland (Clerical Officer)
Ms Eleanor Murphy (Researcher)
Apologies:
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
The meeting began in private session at 11.03am.
1. Apologies
Carál Ní Chuilín .
2. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2009
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 22 January 2009 were agreed.
3. Matters arising
3.1 The Clerk updated the Committee in relation to the Committee’s request for legal advice in relation to the Amended House Sales Scheme.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to await receipt of further information from the Department for Social Development, on rent reductions associated with equity purchases, before proceeding.
4. Draft report into Neighbourhood Renewal.
Mr Hilditch joined the meeting at 11.09am.
The Committee considered the draft report into Neighbourhood Renewal.
Agreed: The Committee directed the Clerk to make amendments to the report as discussed and return to the next Committee meeting with a final draft version.
The meeting moved into public session at 11.27am.
5. Impact of Fuel Poverty on Children – Save the Children briefing .
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 11.31am.
The following representatives of Save the Children joined the meeting at 11.05am:
Anne Moore – Policy Co-ordinator (poverty), Save the Children;
Christine Liddell - Professor of Psychology, University of Ulster; and
Marina Monteith – Researcher, Save the Children.
Mr Burns declared an interest as a member of Antrim Borough Council.
The representatives briefed the Committee on the Save the Children report “The Impact of Fuel Poverty on Children”. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. The Chairperson thanked the representatives for attending.
The representatives left the meeting at 12.02pm.
Agreed: The Committee indicated its support for the recommendations within the report. The Committee agreed to forward the Save the Children report to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
Agreed: Members also agreed to invite representatives of Antrim Borough Council to a future Committee meeting to discuss the council’s programme for decreasing fuel poverty for households in the Antrim Borough Council area.
6. Urban Regeneration Sustainable Development – Departmental Briefing.
The following Departmental officials joined the meeting at 12.03pm and briefed the Committee on Sustainable Development:
Robert Kidd – Policy Unit, Urban Regeneration Strategy Directorate;
Heloise Brown - Policy Unit, Urban Regeneration Strategy Directorate; and
Heather Cousins – Director of Housing.
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. The Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 12.22pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for Social Development requesting further information on the Neighbourhood Renewal Anti-Social Behaviour targets.
Agreed: Members also agreed to write to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister requesting an update on the Sustainable Development Strategy.
Mr Hilditch left the meeting at 12.24pm.
7. Social Security Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2007-2008.
The Clerk briefed the Committee on the contents of the Social Security Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2007-2008.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting further information on the report.
Agreed: Members also agreed to schedule a visit to the Belfast Benefit Delivery Centre and a local Jobs and Benefits office.
8. Correspondence
8.1 The Committee noted correspondence from the Department confirming that a copy of the Department for Work and Pension’s consultation paper “The Social Fund: A New Approach” was sent to the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
8.2 The Committee noted correspondence from the Department detailing further information about consultations with communities located outside the immediate area of the Crumlin Road Gaol/Girdwood Park site.
- The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety inviting submissions from Departments and Committees for the Inquiry into Obesity.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the information to the Minister for Social Development.
Agreed: Members also agreed not to make a submission to this Inquiry.
Mr Hilditch rejoined meeting at 12.40pm.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment inviting comments on the DETI draft Social Economy Enterprise Strategy.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to make its response during the formal consultation process on the Social Economy Enterprise Strategy.
- The Committee considered an email request for funding assistance for Andersonstown Traditional & Contemporary Music School.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the email to the Department for response.
- The Committee noted an invitation for the Chairperson to attend a reception hosted by the Pensions Advisory Service in the Long Gallery on 25 March 2009.
- The Committee noted an invitation for the Committee Chairperson and Clerk to attend the Loughview Community Action Partnerships conference being held in Belfast Castle on Friday 30 January 2009.
- The Committee noted an invitation for the Chairperson to address the Housing Forum in the Stormont Hotel on Wednesday 18 February 2009.
- The Committee considered correspondence requesting support for funding assistance for Andersonstown Traditional & Contemporary Music School.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the email to the Department for response.
9. Forward Work Programme
The Clerk outlined future items of business for the Committee as set out in the forward work programme.
10. Any other business
None.
11. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 5 February 2009 at 11am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.45pm.