The Northern Ireland Assembly has established a Statutory Departmental Committee for Social Development.

At the first meeting of the Committee on 17 May 2007 the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Social Development briefed Members on the current and upcoming key issues facing the Department. Department officials also attended to brief Members on the proposed Welfare Reform Bill.

Committee Chairperson, Mr Gregory Campbell said:
"The Committee will play a vital role in advising the Minister and senior Departmental officials on the policy and plans of the Department. It will scrutinise the work of the Department, proposed legislation and the overall budget allocations."

The terms of reference for the Committee are:

“To advise and assist the Minister for Social Development in the development of policy with respect to matters within her responsibilities. The Committee will have a scrutiny, policy development and consultation role with respect to the Department for Social Development and will have a role in the initiation of legislation. The Committee will:
 consider and advise on departmental budgets and annual plans in the context of the overall budget allocations;
 approve relevant secondary legislation and take the Committee stage of relevant primary legislation;
 call for persons and papers;
 initiate inquiries and make reports;
 consider and advise on matters brought to the Committee by its Minister.”

Note to Editor:

The Chairperson of the Committee is Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA.
The Deputy Chairperson is Mr David Hilditch MLA.

The Committee has a further nine members: 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

The Clerk to the Committee is - Marie Austin
Committee Office
Northern Ireland Assembly
Room 412
Parliament Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3XX

Telephone - 028 9052 1864
Fax - 028 9052 1667
E Mail – committee.socialdevelopment@niassembly.gov.uk

Northern Ireland Assembly Information Office, Room B2, Parliament Buildings, Belfast BT4 3XX.

Telephone 028 9052 1137
Fax 028 90 52 1961.
Website Address – archive.niassembly.gov.uk
E-mail – info.office@ niassembly.gov.uk