COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 2 JULY 2009
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs Mary Bradley MLA
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Claire McCanny (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Devlin (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Joy Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Clerical Supervisor)
Miss Allison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Billy Armstrong MLA
Mr David Simpson MLA (Chairperson)
The meeting began in public session at 11.03 am.
1. Apologies
Apologies were as indicated above.
2. Chairman’s Business
The Deputy Chairperson formally welcomed Mary Bradley to the Committee for Social Development.
The Deputy Chairperson formally thanked the outgoing Chairperson David Simpson for his services to the Committee.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2009
Agreed: The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 25 June 2009 were agreed.
4. Matters arising
4.1 Northern Ireland Audit Office Press Release – June 2009
The Clerk briefed the Committee on the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) report: “The Administration and Management of the Disability Living Allowance Reconsideration and Appeals Process.”
Agreed: It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) requesting that the Social Development Committee be updated in respect of all aspects of the PAC’s deliberations on this issue.
Agreed: It was also agreed that the Clerk should write to the PAC suggesting that a representative from the Office of the President of the Appeals Service brief the PAC as part of their deliberations on the NIAO report.
11:07am Jonathan Craig joined the meeting
11:08am Anna Lo joined the meeting.
4.2 Programme for Government Delivery Report
The Clerk briefed the Committee on correspondence received from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in relation to a Take Note debate on the end-of-year Programme for Government Delivery Report.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Clerk should review the report and identify key issues relevant to the Committee. It was also agreed that the Committee contribution to the debate would be discussed when the Committee reconvened in September.
4.3 Local Housing Allowance
The Clerk briefed the Committee on correspondence received from both Shelter NI and the Simon Community relating to the impact of Local Housing Allowance.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Deputy Chairperson should write to the Minister setting out the Committee’s views on Local Housing Allowance.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Committee should revisit Local Housing Allowance, after recess, in light of the Department for Work and Pensions’ anticipated review of Housing Benefit.
4.4 Ombudsman Report
The Clerk briefed the Committee on the 2008-09 Northern Ireland Ombudsman’s Report which includes a review of complaints relating to the anti-social behaviour policies of Housing Associations.
Agreed: The Committee noted the report’s relevance to the Committee’s consideration of the Housing (Amendment) Bill.
4.5 Long Gallery- Guide Dogs for the Blind Event
The Chair reminded Members that the Committee had sponsored an event, hosted by Guide Dogs for the Blind, in the Long Gallery scheduled for 2:30 pm Thursday 2 nd July.
5.Advice Centre Strategy Consultation – Departmental briefing
The following Departmental officials joined the meeting at 11:12 am.
Janine Fullerton – Voluntary and Community Unit, DSD; and Seamus Kelly – Voluntary and Community Unit, DSD.
The officials briefed the Committee on the progress of the Advice Centre Strategy consultation.
The Deputy Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 12:05pm.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department and request a follow-up briefing on the results of the consultation.
Agreed: It was also agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department:
- seeking clarification on whether money has been allocated to fund additional advice services relating to mortgage issues; and
- requesting further information on how Departmental funding for the Voluntary and Community Sector will be invested across Northern Ireland.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the consultation document should be shared with a number of other Committees, including the Committees for Agriculture and Rural Development; Employment and Learning and the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
6. Proposed Subordinate Legislation
6.1 The Committee considered the proposed Statutory Rule, The Social Security (Mixed Age Couples) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Department to make the Statutory Rule.
7. Statutory Rules laid in the Assembly
The Committee considered the following Statutory Rules which have been laid in the Assembly:
7.1 2009/239 The Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) (Lump Sum Payments) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009.
Question put and agreed:
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2009/239 The Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) (Lump Sum Payments) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
7.2 2009/240 The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009.
Question put and agreed:
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2009/240 The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
7.3 2009/245 The Pension Protection Fund (Entry Rules) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009.
Question put and agreed:
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule 2009/245 The Pension Protection Fund (Entry Rules) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
8. Social Housing Development Programme – Departmental briefing
The Deputy Chairperson welcomed the following Departmental officials at 12:12pm:
Stewart Cuddy – Deputy Chief Executive, NIHE; John McPeake – Director, Design and Property Services, NIHE; and Colm McCaughey – NIHE.
The officials updated the Committee on the Social Housing Development Programme and the Strategic Guidelines.
The Deputy Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 1:14 pm.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department requesting:
- Additional information on the number of starts and completions in the Derry City Council, North Belfast and West Belfast areas for 2008-09 and 2009-10;
- A breakdown of waiting times across Northern Ireland by religious background and other demographic factors;
- Information on the use of Housing Executive homes for so-called decants; and
- Information on the assessed need for housing in the Antrim Borough Council area.
9. Correspondence
Ministerial Correspondence
9.1 The Committee considered the Ministerial response on the Department’s delivery of policies against the recommendations raised in the second Varney Review.
Agreed: It was agreed that the response to the Varney Review should be reconsidered when the Committee reviews the Savills’ report on the Housing Executive.
Departmental:
9.2 The Committee noted the Departmental response to the Committee’s request for additional information on the Strategic Frameworks for Belfast.
Other Correspondence:
9.3 The Committee considered a paper from the Housing Rights Service, entitled “Financial Inclusion and Housing Debt in Northern Ireland”.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that this correspondence should be forwarded to the Department for comment. It was also agreed that the Housing Rights Service be invited to brief the Committee on this issue after the summer recess.
9.4 The Committee considered correspondence from Cllr Roger Burton, regarding cancellation of NIHE Grants, enclosing details of the problems experienced by local residents.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that this correspondence should be forwarded to the Department for comment.
9.5 The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister relating to fuel poverty and the Sustainable Development Strategy.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should seek an update on the findings of the Sub-Committee on Children and Young People (as this relates to childcare and the Welfare Reform Bill) and the work of the Executive Sub-Committee on Poverty and Social Inclusion.
Agreed: The Committee also agreed to note the correspondence from OFMDFM in relation to the Sustainable Development Strategy.
9.6 The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister requesting approval to forward letters to the Minister for Social Development in relation to a pilot exercise on affordable childcare and child tax credit overpayments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this correspondence to the Minister.
9.7 The Committee noted correspondence from the Citizens Advice Bureau in relation to improving the uptake of benefits.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Citizens Advice Bureau should be invited to brief the Committee on this work after the summer recess.
9.8 The Committee noted correspondence from the Clerk of the Health Committee in relation to the medical certificate consultation.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should incorporate this response with the Social Development Committee’s reply to the consultation.
9.9 The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in relation to the Women’s Centres Childcare Fund.
Invitations:
9.10 The Committee noted an invitation to attend the Living Knowledge Conference to be held at Queen’s University Belfast from 27-29 August 2009.
Miscellaneous:
9.11 The Committee noted correspondence from Capita conferences, providing a copy of a programme for their conference “Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET),” to be held on Wednesday, 7 October 2009 in Central London.
9.12 The Committee noted correspondence from The Statistics and Research Branch (DSD, enclosing a copy of the 2009-2007 “Individual Incomes Series (Northern Ireland)” report.
Ms Michelle McIlveen left the meeting at 1.18pm
Mr Jonathan Craig left the meeting at 1.18pm
10. Welfare Reform Bill – Departmental briefing
The Deputy Chairperson welcomed the following Departmental officials at 1:18 pm:
Anne McCleary – Director, Social Policy and Legislation Division, DSD; Margaret Sisk – Social Policy and Legislation Division; Gerry McCann and Janis Creane – DSD.
The officials briefed the Committee on the Welfare Reform Bill.
Ms Anna Lo left the meeting at 1.28pm
The Deputy Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 1:38pm.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Department should be invited to return in September with a summary of the findings from the EQIA consultation.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to move into closed session for the next items of business.
The meeting moved into closed session at 1.39pm
11. Town Centre Regeneration – Final Report
The Clerk provided Members with a copy of the draft report of the Committee Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it would consider the final report of the Committee Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration after the summer recess.
12. Forward Work Programme
The Clerk briefed the Committee on the forward work programme.
Agreed: The Committee agreed it was content with the forward work programme.
13. Any other business
13.1 The Committee considered an outline proposal in relation to a proposed Statutory Rule entitled: The Social Security (Housing Costs Special Arrangements) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009.
Agreed: The Committee agreed, on a without prejudice basis, that it was content for the Department to make the Statutory Rule.
13.2 The Committee considered correspondence relating to serious complaints in respect of a project funded under a Departmental programme.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should forward the correspondence to the Department for action in-line with the Department for Social Development’s External Fraud Response Plan.
14. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 10 September 2009 at 11.00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1:47pm.