COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Minutes of Proceedings

THURSDAY, 24 MAY 2007
Room 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Fred Cobain MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA

In Attendance:
Ms Marie Austin (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Neil Currie (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Joy Hamilton (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Lorraine McFarland (Clerical Officer)
Ms Jennifer Betts – Assembly Research & Library Services (Item 8 only)

The meeting opened at 11.02am in closed session.

1. Apologies

No apologies – all Members were present.

11.05am. Mr Maginness joined the meeting.

11.07am. The meeting moved into public session.

2. Minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2007

Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.

3. Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

4. Chairperson’s business

There was no Chairperson’s business.

5. Proposals for a Procurement Strategy for the Social Housing Development Programme

The Committee considered the Department for Social Development’s proposals for a Procurement Strategy for the Social Housing Development Programme. Members agreed that responses to the consultation on the proposed strategy should be requested from the Department for consideration at a later date.

6. Committee consideration of Statutory Rules

Mr John O’Neill, Director of Social Security Policy and Legislation Division, Department for Social Development, joined the meeting at 11.12am. Mr O’Neill briefed Members on the Committee’s consideration of Statutory Rules and in particular, on the parity principle. A question and answer session followed.

Mr O’Neill also briefed the Committee and answered Members’ questions on the following proposed Statutory Rules:

– The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No. 2) Regulations (NI) 2007

– The Social Security (Students and Income-related Benefits) (Amendment)
Regulations (NI) 2007

Agreed – The Committee was content with the Department’s proposal to make the Statutory Rules referred to above.

The Chairperson thanked Mr O’Neill for the informative briefing.

7. Briefing by Minister Margaret Ritchie on the proposed Welfare Reform Bill

Minister Margaret Ritchie joined the meeting at 11.32am, accompanied by Mr John O’Neill, Director of Social Security Policy and Legislation Division, Department for Social Development.

Members declared the following interests:

Mr Cobain – Member, Filon Housing Association.
Ms Lo – Chief Executive of the Chinese Welfare Association.
Miss McIlveen – Landlord.

The Minister briefed the Committee on the purpose and main provisions of the proposed Welfare Reform Bill. The Minister explained to the Committee:

(a) the reasons for wishing to proceed under the accelerated passage procedure;
(b) the consequences of accelerated passage not being granted; and
(c) the steps she has taken to minimise the future use of the accelerated passage
procedure.

The Committee expressed concern that the proposed legislation would contain a provision to pay Housing Benefit to claimants, as opposed to landlords, in the private rented sector. The Minister explained that the Bill would only give the Department the power to make regulations, and that a Commencement Order would be required to bring the legislation into operation. The Minister gave an undertaking that she would not bring forward any regulations to change the current method of payment of Housing Benefit until there had been further discussion with the Committee.

The Minister undertook to come back to the Committee on the following matters:

a) The proposed closure of rural post offices and the impact this may have on those
who do not have bank accounts, and in particular the elderly.
b) The savings made in relation to the direct payment of benefits into bank accounts as
opposed to payment through post offices.
c) The position with regard to funding for a bilingual welfare worker for the Chinese
community in Northern Ireland.

The Chairperson thanked the Minister and Mr O’Neill for the informative briefing.

The Minister and Mr O’Neill left the meeting at 12.17pm.

The meeting moved into closed session at 12.17pm.

Agreed – In light of the Minister’s undertaking that she would not bring forward any regulations to change the current method of payment of Housing Benefit until there had been further discussion with the Committee, the Committee agreed to support the Minister’s request for the Welfare Reform Bill to proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.

Agreed – The Committee agreed a Press Release in relation to the matter.

The meeting moved into public session at 12.25pm.

8. Briefing by Minister Margaret Ritchie on the priorities of the Department for Social Development

Minister Margaret Ritchie rejoined the meeting at 12.25pm, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Alan Shannon, and Mr Barney McGahan, Deputy Secretary – Resources, Housing and Social Security Group.

The Chairperson informed the Minister that, after discussion, the Committee had agreed to support the Minister’s request for the Welfare Reform Bill to proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.

The Minister then briefed the Committee on the priorities of the Department for Social Development. This was followed by a question and answer session.

The Minister gave an undertaking that, in future, the Committee would be notified in advance of any public announcements in relation to the work of the Department.

The Chairperson thanked the Minister and officials for the informative briefing.

The Minister and officials left the meeting at 12.59pm.

9. Correspondence

Committee staff circulated a letter from the Inner East Belfast Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership expressing concerns in relation to the implementation of the Department for Social Development’s Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, ‘People and Place’.

Agreed – The Committee agreed to invite representatives from the Department for Social Development to attend the meeting on 7 June 2007, to brief the Committee on the implementation of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy.

10. Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.

The Chairperson informed Members that the proposed Charities Bill was likely to be introduced to the Assembly on 18 June 2007, and that the Committee Stage was likely to begin on 27 June 2007. As a consequence, the Clerk had arranged for Departmental officials to give evidence on the Bill to the Committee on 5 July 2007.

11. Any other business

None.

12. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee for Social Development will be held on Thursday, 31 May 2007 at 11.00am in Room 135 Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.03pm.

Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Social Development
31 May 2007