COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 14 MAY 2009
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr David Simpson MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Devlin (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Joy Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Lorraine McFarland (Clerical Officer)
Ms Allison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Billy Armstrong MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
The meeting began in public session at 11.11am.
1. Apologies
Apologies were as indicated above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson offered thanks and best wishes on behalf of the Committee, to Clerical Officer, Lorraine McFarland who is leaving the Secretariat.
The Chairperson welcomed the new Clerical Officer, Allison Ferguson, to the Committee.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 7 May 2009
Agreed: The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 7 May 2009 were agreed.
Ms Michelle McIlveen joined the meeting at 11.13am
4. Matters arising
4.1 Town Centre Regeneration Briefing: Agreement of Actions
The Committee agreed actions from the Town Centre Regeneration Inquiry briefing on Draft PPS 5 which was received on 7 May 2009.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department of the Environment seeking answers to the outstanding questions from the Draft PPS 5 briefing.
Agreed: It was also agreed that the Clerk would seek a summary of responses to the consultation, held in July 2006, on Draft PPS 5.
4.2 Committee visit to Neighbourhood Renewal projects in Scotland
The Clerk sought clarification in respect of Members’ attendance on the planned visit to Neighbourhood Renewal projects in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Agreed: It was agreed that all Members who had yet to indicate their intentions in respect of the visit would contact Committee staff as soon as possible.
4.3 Social Housing Development Programme
The Clerk advised the Committee of issues relating to the Social Housing Development Programme.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department requesting an urgent briefing on the consequences, for the Social Housing Development Programme, of revised procurement rules.
Agreed: It was also agreed that the Clerk should seek details of the assessment of equality implications for revisions to the Social Housing Development Programme generally and for the North Belfast, West Belfast and Foyle constituencies in particular.
5.Department for Social Development Corporate Plan – Departmental briefing
The following officials joined the meeting at 11.20am:
Alan Shannon – Permanent Secretary, DSD;
Barney McGahan – Deputy Secretary, Resources, Housing & Social Security Group, DSD;
David Ferguson – Deputy Secretary, Urban Regeneration and Community Development Group, DSD; and
Bryan Davis – Chief Executive, Social Security Agency.
The officials updated the Committee on the Department’s performance against 2008-09 Corporate Plan milestones and on the milestones for 2009-10.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department seeking a briefing on the “Including the Homeless” Strategy.
Ms Michelle McIlveen left the meeting at 12.07pm
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department seeking a briefing on the Empty Homes Action Plan.
Agreed: It was also agreed that Clerk should write to the Department seeking information on the location and concentration of empty private and social homes throughout Northern Ireland.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department seeking clarification on the use of Post Project Evaluations for masterplans.
Agreed: It was agreed that all unanswered questions would be forwarded to the Department for response.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 12.23pm
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín left the meeting at 12.23pm
Agreed: It was agreed that the Clerk should seek an update from the Department on the development of new legislative arrangements between government and the voluntary and community sector.
Ms Michelle McIlveen rejoined the meeting at 12.25pm
6. Strategy for the Private Rented Sector Consultation – Departmental briefing
The following officials joined the meeting at 12.26pm:
Brian Doherty – Deputy Director, Housing Division, DSD; and
Angela Clarke – Housing Markets & Supply, Housing Division, DSD
The officials briefed the Committee on the consultation on the Strategy for the Private Rented Sector.
Miss Michelle McIlveen declared an interest as a private landlord.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 1.00pm
7.Proposed Subordinate Legislation
7.1 The Committee considered the proposed Statutory Rule, The Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) (Lump Sum Payments) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Department to make the Statutory Rule.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department seeking information on the number of lung disease sufferers in Northern Ireland that are expected to be affected by the proposed rule.
7.2 The Committee considered the proposed Statutory Rule, The Social Security (Students and Income-Related Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Department to make the Statutory Rule.
7.3 The Committee considered the proposed Statutory Rule, The Housing Benefit (Child Benefit Disregard) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Department to make the Statutory Rule.
8. Correspondence
Departmental Correspondence:
8.1 The Committee noted Departmental correspondence relating to fuel poverty levels within the Antrim Borough Council area.
Other Correspondence:
8.2 The Committee noted the Pension Regulator’s draft Code of Practice No.12 (Circumstances in relation to the material detriment test).
8.3 The Committee noted correspondence from Triangle Housing Association Ltd, on the Supporting People Programme.
8.4 The Committee noted correspondence from the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations relating to housing association reserves.
Miscellaneous:
8.5 The Committee noted an e-mail from the Equality Commission providing a copy of its May e-newsletter.
8.6 The Committee noted the Department for Social Development’s Resource Account 2007-08.
Tabled Correspondence:
8.7 The Committee considered correspondence from the Chairperson of the Environment Committee requesting information on how the Department’s PSA targets contribute to overall greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for a response.
9. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the revised Forward Work Programme.
10. Any other business
Agreed: The Committee agreed to begin the meeting of 21 May 2009 at 10.00am and the meeting of 28 May 2009 at 10.30am.
11. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 21 May 2009 at 10:00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.15pm.
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Deputy Chairperson, Committee for Social Development
Thursday, 21 May 2009.