COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
THURSDAY 03 JUNE 2010
ROOM 135 PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Simon Hamilton MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Billy Armstrong MLA
Mrs Mary Bradley MLA
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr Tommy Gallagher MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Clairita Frazer (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Stewart Kennedy (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Allison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: None
The meeting began in public session at 10.02am.
1. Apologies
No apologies were recorded.
2. Chairperson’s Business
2.1 The Chairperson informed Members that the Deputy Chairperson would chair the meeting from 10.45am onwards.
3. Draft minutes of the meetings held on 25 and 27 May 2010
Agreed: The minutes of the meetings held on Tuesday 25 May 2010 and Thursday 27 May 2010 were agreed.
4. Matters Arising
4.1 Caravans Bill
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the following motion be submitted to the Business Office: “That, in accordance with Standing Order 33 (4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33 (2) be extended to 17 December 2010, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Caravans Bill (NIA Bill 17/09)”
4.2 Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the following motion be submitted to the Business Office: “That, in accordance with Standing Order 33 (4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33 (2) be extended to 17 December 2010, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 19/09)”
Mr Hilditch joined the meeting at 10.11am.
5. Consideration of Draft Welfare Reform Bill Report
The Committee considered a draft Report on the Committee Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson would make appropriate reference at Consideration Stage to the nature of the divisions at the Committee Stage of the Bill.
The Committee agreed the main body of the report:
Executive Summary, read and agreed
Introduction, read and agreed
Consideration of the Bill, read and agreed
and
Clause-by-Clause Scrutiny of the Bill, read and agreed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Report to be printed as the Third Report of the Committee for Social Development for session 2009/2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the relevant extract from the draft minutes of the proceedings of 3 June 2010 would be included in the Committee’s report.
6. June Monitoring Round - Departmental Briefing
The following officials joined the meeting at 10.14am:
Mr Stephen McMurray Director of Finance, DSD;
Mr Barney McGahan Deputy Secretary, Resources, Housing and Social Security, DSD; and
Mr Mel Higgins Urban Regeneration Strategy Directorate (Finance), DSD.
At 10:18am, Mr David Hilditch declared an interest as a member of Carrickfergus Borough Council and as the interim Chairman of the Steering Group for the Implementation of the Carrickfergus Masterplan.
Mr McCann joined the meeting at 10.27am.
Mr Armstrong joined the meeting at 10.34am.
The Deputy Chairperson took the Chair at 10.35am.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 10.35am.
Mr Hilditch left the meeting at 10.38am.
The officials provided a briefing on the key points of the June Monitoring Round submission. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for the briefing .
The officials left the meeting at10.45am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department requesting further information on the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s capital expenditure programme for 2010/11. In particular, a breakdown was to be requested of NIHE’s capital maintenance schemes for 2010/2011.
7. Subordinate Legislation
7.1The Committee considered the proposed Statutory Rule: The Employment and Support Allowance (Transitional Provisions and Housing Benefit) (Existing Awards) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it would defer consideration of this proposed Statutory Rule pending a briefing from the Department.
Mr Hilditch rejoined the meeting at 10.46am.
7.2 SR 2010 No.185: The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Temporary Increase) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Question put and agreed:
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule: SR 2010 No. 185 : The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Temporary Increase) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
Mr Gallagher joined the meeting at 10.50am.
7.3 SR 2010 No.186: The Employers Duties (Registration and Compliance) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Question put and agreed:
“The Committee for Social Development has considered Statutory Rule: SR 2010 No. 186 : The Employers Duties (Registration and Compliance) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and subject to the Examiner’s report has no objection to the Rule.”
Mr Easton left the meeting at 10.53am.
7.4 The Committee noted further correspondence from the Department in relation to Statutory Rule 2010 No. 144: The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Lone Parents) (Availability for Work) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010.
8. Correspondence
8.1The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister to the Chairperson of the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee in relation to Supporting People Issues.
8.2The Committee noted correspondence from the Department summarising the outcome of the public consultation on the draft Urban Regeneration and Housing (Transfer of Functions) Bill.
8.3The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding discussions between the Minister for Social Development and the Minister for Work and Pensions.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this correspondence to the Department for response.
8.4The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the Commissioner for Older People Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this correspondence to the Department for comment.
8.5 The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment regarding major fuel suppliers in Northern Ireland.
8.6The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the Economic Appraisal Report for the Provision of Childcare in Northern Ireland.
8.7 The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel in relation to the second data protection review.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this correspondence to the Department for comment.
8.8 The Committee noted correspondence from the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee from Positive Futures and Manor Healthcare.
8.9 The Committee considered correspondence from a member of the public in relation to design issues affecting their new disabled home in Belfast.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to send this correspondence to the Department for consideration.
8.10The Committee considered correspondence from the Law Centre (NI) inviting the Committee to a conference entitled: “Advancing Tribunal Reform” on Wednesday 23 June 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this invitation to the Committee for Justice.
8.11The Committee considered an invitation to an event entitled: The People’s Inquiry into the Right to Housing, on Thursday 24 June 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should investigate the possibility of holding the Committee meeting of 24 June 2010 in the venue hosting the Inquiry.
8.12 The Committee noted an invitation for the Chairperson to attend the launch of the “Dealing with Debt: Self Help Factsheets” on Tuesday 8 June 2010.
8.13 The Committee considered an invitation to the seminar entitled “Zero Carbon by 2016 – Making Targets Real” on Monday 7 June 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should obtain a copy of the papers from this seminar.
8.14 The Committee considered an invitation to a breakfast briefing on Tuesday 8 June 2010 hosted by the NI Assembly Business Trust.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that Members would respond to this invitation on an individual basis.
8.15 The Committee considered an invitation to the Participatory Budgeting Unit briefing on 15 June 2010 hosted by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that Members would respond to this invitation on an individual basis.
8.16The Committee an item of miscellaneous correspondence from the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.
9. Housing Association Reserves – Assembly Research and Library Services/PwC Briefing.
Iain Lees, Director of Corporate Finance at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) joined the meeting at 11.02am.
Mr Craig joined the meeting at 11.05am.
Mr Lees provided a briefing on research, commissioned by Assembly Research & Library Services, on Housing Association Reserves. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked Mr Lees for his briefing .
Mr Lees left the meeting at 11.47am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department to seek: clarification on the development status of so-called inactive Housing Associations; information on the Department’s plans to amend the relevant regulatory regime so as to require Housing Associations to produce longer term cash flow projections; details of the Department’s progress in reducing the Housing Association Grant (HAG) contribution to social housing new build and an update on the Housing Executive’s block leasing pilot schemes.
10. Forward Work Programme
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with the Forward Work Programme.
11. Any Other Business
11.1 NIHE Northern Ireland Housing Market: Review and Perspectives Report 2010-2013
Agreed: The Clerk undertook to provide Members with a hard copy of the NIHE Northern Ireland Housing Market: Review and Perspectives Report 2010-2013 for information.
11.2 Written Assembly Questions
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to the Department to seek clarification on apparent discrepancies between public statements by the Department and responses to Written Assembly Questions: 6862 & 6857 relating to anti-benefit fraud measures. The Committee further agreed that the Clerk should seek information on the Department’s expenditure; staffing and success rates associated with anti-benefit fraud activity.
12. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting is to be held on Thursday 10 June 2010 at 10:00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.58am.