INUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
IN ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
AT 2.00PM ON THURSDAY, 14 DECEMBER 2000
1. Minutes of the Last Meeting
2. Matters Arising
3. Subordinate Legislation
4. Subordinate Legislation
5. Street Trading Bill - Committee Stage
6. Any Other Business
7. Date and Time of Next Meeting
Present:
Mr F Cobain (Chairman)
Ms M Gildernew (Deputy Chairperson)
Sir John Gorman
Mr B Hutchinson
Mr D McClarty
Mr J Tierney
Mr S Wilson
In Attendance:
Mr G Martin
Mr K Barker
Mr L Hart
Ms V Surplus
Apologies:
Mr G Kelly, Mr E ONeill, Mr M Robinson
Mr Cobain took the chair at 2.20pm
Private Session
1. Minutes of the Last Meeting
The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
2. Matters Arising
The Committee again expressed its deep concern that the Department had not yet been able to respond to two written requests by the Clerk asking when the Housing Bill is likely to be made available to the Committee and in what form.
3. Subordinate Legislation
Departmental Officials: John O'Neill - Social Security Legislation Branch
Scott Carson - Social Security Legislation Branch
Doreen Roy - Social Security Legislation Branch
The Chairman welcomed the above-named officials to the meeting at 2.25 p.m. and they gave a brief explanation of the following proposed Statutory Rules:
The Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Sick Pay (General ) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support (Maintenance Calculation Procedure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support (Maintenance and Special Cases) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support (Variations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support (Collection and Enforcement and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support (Information, Evidence and Disclosure and Maintenance Arrangements and Jurisdiction) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support (Transitional Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support (Temporary Compensation Payment Scheme) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support, (Voluntary Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support (Great Britain Reciprocal Arrangements) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Child Support (Variations) (Modification of Statutory Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Social Security (Child Maintenance Premium and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Social Security (Claims and Payments) (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, The Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, Proposals for the Stakeholder Pension Schemes (Amendments) Regulations and The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000.
The officials briefed the committee on the rationale for and implications of the proposed legislation. Following clarification the Committee was content with the proposals.
The Chairman thanked the officials for their briefing, and they left the meeting.
4. Subordinate Legislation
The Committee passed the following motion:
"The Social Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 2000 No 325 - Housing Renovation etc. Grants (Reduction of Grant) (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 and has no objection to the Rule."
Mr S Wilson joined the meeting at 2 .39p.m.
5. Street Trading Bill - Committee Stage - Consideration of Draft Report
Mr S Wilson stated that he was not content with clause 3 or the amendment to clause 9 and wished to propose changes. The Chairman advised Mr S Wilson that the purpose of this meeting was to consider if the Draft Report on the Street Trading Bill accurately reflected what the Committee, following legal advice, had already agreed at previous meetings. It was therefore not possible for the Committee to consider these issues again. In these circumstances Mr S Wilson indicated his intention to table amendments in his own name. Mr S Wilson requested that concerns he had raised with regard to clause 17 be included in the Draft Report and the Committee agreed to meet again on the 19 December to consider the wording of the proposed change which is to be provided by Mr S Wilson. The Committee agreed the Draft Report on the Street Trading Bill with the exception of the reference to clause 17.
Mr McClarty joined the meeting at 3.05p.m.
6. Any Other Business
(i) The Committee noted the request from the Belfast City Council, received on 8 December, to meet the Committee to discuss the Street Trading Bill. The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write to Belfast City Council thanking them for their request but advising them it would not be possible as the Committee had completed its consideration of the Bill, part of which had included consideration of their written submission.
(ii) The Committee agreed to note its support for the content of the paper provided by Mr J McCracken of the Low Pay Unit at the last meeting.
7. Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next Committee meeting will be at 12.30pm on Tuesday 19 December 2000 in Room 106, Parliament Buildings.
MR F COBAIN
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
December 2000