COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
THURSDAY 22 APRIL 2010
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS, STORMONT
Present:
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA (Chairperson)
Mrs Mary Bradley MLA
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Claire McCanny (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Ms Allison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)
Mr Craig Mealey (Clerical Officer)
Ms Patricia Casey (Bill Clerk) - agenda item 1 only
Ms Eleanor Murphy (Assembly Research and Library Services) - agenda item 9 only
Apologies:
Mr Billy Armstrong MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
The meeting began in private session at 10.09am.
1. Welfare Reform Bill
The Committee received a briefing on the Committee Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill from the Bill Clerk.
Mr Mickey Brady joined the meeting at 10.11am.
Mr David Hilditch joined the meeting at 10.15am.
Mr Mickey Brady left the meeting at 10.19am.
The Chairperson thanked the Bill Clerk for her briefing.
The meeting moved into public session at 10.21am.
2. Apologies
Apologies were as indicated above.
3. Chairperson’s Business
None.
4. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 15 April 2010
Agreed: The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 15 April 2010 were agreed.
5. Matters Arising
5.1 White Paper: Building the National Care Service
The Committee considered the UK Department of Health’s White Paper entitled: Building the National Care Service. The Committee also reviewed correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel in respect of a review of support for carers.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Committee for Finance and Personnel and the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety indicating the Social Development Committee’s support for the establishment of an ad hoc joint committee (in-line with Standing Order 64C) to review the provision of support for carers. It was also agreed that the relevant White Paper be forwarded to the Committee for Finance and Personnel and the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety for information.
Mr Mickey Brady rejoined the meeting at 10.28am.
6. The Social Housing Development Programme Strategic Guidelines - Briefing by the Participation and Practice of Rights Project.
The following representatives from the Participation and Practice of Rights Project joined the meeting at 10.28am:
Ms Nicola Browne Strategic Policy Officer, Participation and Practice of Rights Project; and
Mr Dessie Donnelly Strategic Development Officer, Participation and Practice of Rights Project.
The representatives provided a briefing on the Social Housing Development Programme Strategic Guidelines. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the representatives for the briefing.
The representatives left the meeting at 11:00am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department to seek details of:
- the waiting times for social housing by constituency and Section 75 group;
- the impact of the Social Housing Development Programme in reducing waiting times at constituency level by Section 75 group;
- the means by which the Department monitors the effectiveness of the Social Housing Development Programme in meeting housing need;
- the Department’s procedures or plans to enhance the transparency of decision-making in respect of social housing allocation including clarification as to whether the Department plans to adopt Super Output Areas as the basis of its information-gathering; and
- the Department’s plans to amend the Common Housing Selection Scheme to better reflect social housing waiting time.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Participation and Practice of Rights Project to seek their views on:
- social housing waiting times and the effectiveness of the Social Housing Development Programme in reducing waiting lists;
- how transparency could be improved in respect of housing allocation decision-making; and
- how the Common Housing Selection Scheme could be revised to better reflect social housing waiting time.
7. Statutory Rules
The following Departmental official joined the meeting at 11.01am:
Colm McLaughlin Social Security Policy and Legislation Division, DSD.
The official provided a briefing on the following Statutory Rule followed by a question and answer session:
7.1 SR 2010 No.129: The Social Security (Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín left the meeting at 11.02am.
Question put and agreed:
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule: SR 2010 No. 1 29: The Social Security (Claims and Payments) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
The Chairperson thanked the official for the briefing
The official left the meeting at 11.06am.
7.2 National Employment Savings Trust – Set-Up Costs and Related Statutory Rules
The following Departmental officials joined the meeting at 11.07am:
Anne McCleary Social Security Policy and Legislation Division, DSD;
Gerry McCann Social Security Policy and Legislation Division, DSD; and
Doreen Roy Social Security Policy and Legislation Division, DSD.
The officials provided a briefing on the set-up costs associated with the National Employment Savings Trust and the following two Statutory Rules:
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín rejoined the meeting at 11.10am.
SR 2010 No.122: The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Automatic Enrolment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Question put and agreed:
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule: SR 2010 No. 1 22: The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Automatic Enrolment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 and subject to the Examiner’s report recommends that it be confirmed by the Assembly”
SR 2010 No. 123: The Employers’ Duties (Implementation) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Question put and agreed:
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule: SR 2010 No. 1 23: The Employers’ Duties (Implementation) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing.
The officials left the meeting at 11.29am.
7.3 The Committee noted a third Commencement Order relating to section 185 of the Charities Act ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
8. Correspondence
8.1 The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister to the Chairperson of the Employment and Learning Committee regarding young people who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs) .
8.2 The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister to the Chairperson of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding the bike to work scheme .
8.3 The Committee noted correspondence relating to the Report of the Committee’s Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration concerning urban regeneration vesting and disruption caused by utility companies.
8.4 The Committee considered correspondence from the Department in respect of the measures being taken to address the so-called “benefits trap” for Steps to Work participants as highlighted in the PAC Report on the Review of the New Deal 25+ .
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this correspondence to the Public Accounts Committee.
8.5 The Committee noted correspondence from the Department in relation to the Departmental briefing on the Urban Regeneration and Community Development Policy Framework on 25 March 2010.
8.6 The Committee noted correspondence from the Department concerning the proposed third annual supplement to DSD’s Corporate Plan 2008-2011 pending a Departmental briefing on this issue on 10 June 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Department to publish the supplement prior to the Committee briefing.
8.7 The Committee considered a report from the Housing Council entitled ‘Why the Private Sector should build to Lifetime Home Standards’.
Agreed : The Committee agreed that the Report would be forwarded to the Department to seek more information on the actions that the Department is taking to address the recommendations contained within the Report.
Agreed : The Committee agreed that the Report would be forwarded to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety for consideration.
8.8 The Committee noted correspondence from the Chairperson of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the future scrutiny of Girdwood Park and the Crumlin Road Gaol.
8.9 The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in respect of a future concurrent meeting on the Ilex Mark II Regeneration Plan.
Agreed : The Committee agreed that the Clerk should contact the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to arrange a suitable time for this concurrent meeting combined with a possible Committee visit to the Ilex Regeneration Company in the North West.
8.10 The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the final report on the consultation conducted on the Executive’s draft Sustainable Development Strategy.
8.11 The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning Hansard reports on key EU briefing sessions.
8.12 The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel in relation to departmental engagement with the Performance and Delivery Unit (PEDU).
Agreed : The Committee agreed to forward this correspondence to the Department to seek details of the Department’s engagement with PEDU to date and its plans to use PEDU’s services in the future.
8.13 The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel in relation to the Department of Finance and Personnel’s draft guidance on in-year monitoring.
Agreed : The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Committee for Finance and Personnel indicating the Committee’s views that in-year monitoring submissions should be subject to mandatory protocols and timescales and involve the production of deliverables in an agreed consistent format.
8.14 The Committee considered correspondence from the Community Development Networks Forum inviting the Committee to hold one of their meetings at the flagship centre for the Newry Confederation of Community Groups.
Agreed : The Committee agreed that the Clerk should investigate the options for a Committee meeting at the flagship centre. It was also agreed that the Clerk should write to the Community Development Networks Forum to o invite them to submit a written briefing outlining their concerns in respect of the transfer of investment programmes to the new councils as part of the Committee Stage of the Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill.
8.15 The Committee noted correspondence from the University of Ulster inviting the Committee to attend a half day Symposium examining the future challenges and opportunities facing the housing association sector locally on Friday 21 May 2010 at the Jordanstown Campus.
8.16 The Committee considered correspondence from the Participation and Practice of Rights Project inviting the Committee to attend an international forum entitled: Tools for Action: Making Economic and Social Change, on Friday 14 May 2010 at the Carrickdale Hotel, Co Louth.
Agreed : The Committee agreed that Mr Mickey Brady would attend on behalf of the Committee.
8.17 The Committee noted various items of miscellaneous correspondence sent to the Committee from the Consumer Council, Building Construction Design and the Community Relations Council.
Mr Mickey Brady left the meeting at 11.41am.
9. Social and Affordable Housing – Briefing by Assembly and Research and Library Services.
Ms Eleanor Murphy from Assembly Research and Library Services briefed the Committee on issues relating to social and affordable housing. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked Ms Murphy for her briefing.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the Assembly Research and Library Services paper on Alternative Financial Delivery Models for Affordable Housing.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek further information on the Homes and Communities Agency’s Private Rented Sector initiative.
Agreed: The Committee also agreed to consider a possible Inquiry into Housing following completion of the Committee Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill.
10. Forward Work Programme
Agreed: The Committee agreed to attend the Conference of the Isles Event at the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle on 27 and 28 May 2010. It was also agreed that a Committee meeting would be held at the conference venue on 27 May 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with the Forward Work Programme as amended.
11. Any Other Business
None.
12. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting is expected to be held on Tuesday 11 May 2010 at 2pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12:01pm.