MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
IN ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
AT 2.00 PM ON Thursday, 18 October 2001
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2001
2. Matters Arising
3. Subordinate Legislation - Proposal
4. Committee's Response to Consultation Paper on Urban Renewal
5. Report on Housing in Northern Ireland
6. Social Fund Commissioner for Northern Ireland
7. Any Other Business
Present:
Mr F Cobain (Chairman)
M Gildernew (Deputy Chairperson)
Sir J Gorman
Mr T Hamilton
Mr B Hutchinson
Mr S Wilson
Mr M Robinson
Mr J Tierney
Mr D O'Connor
Apologies:
Mr G Kelly
Mr E ONeill
In Attendance:
Mr S Graham
Mr L McLernon
Miss F Douglas
Mr Cobain took the chair at 2.08 p.m.
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2001
The minutes of the meeting were agreed.
Mr Tierney joined the meeting at 2.10 p.m.
Draft Budget 2002/2003
Members noted a letter from the Minister for Social Development, dated 16 October, about loan charges and agreed to defer discussion until the next week.
Mr S Wilson joined the meeting at 2.13 p.m.
Mr B Hutchinson joined the meeting at 2.13 p.m.
Social Security Fraud Bill
The Chairman confirmed he had written to the Minister indicating the Committee had no objections to his proposal to suspend Standing Order 40 (1) to allow 'final stage' to be taken as soon as possible.
The Committee agreed the Chairman should write to the Minister about the Code of Practice along the lines of the draft, tabled.
Members requested that the Clerk obtain copies of the GB Code of Practice.
Laganside Corporation - Quinquennial Review
The Chairman confirmed that a letter had been sent to the Department requesting copies of the Quinquennial Review.
Association of Independent Advice Centres NI
The Chairman confirmed that he had written to Mr Stronge, Director, Association of Independent Advice Centres in Northern Ireland accepting an invitation for the Chairman to speak at the Association's Annual General Meeting.
3. Subordinate Legislation - Proposal
Agreed: The Committee was content with the Department's proposal to make a Statutory Rule in respect of the following-
The Social Fund (Cold Weather Payments) (General)(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001.
4. Committee's Response to Consultation Paper on Urban Renewal
Members agreed to defer discussion on this issue until the next meeting.
5. Report on Housing in Northern Ireland
Members agreed to conduct a final reading of the Housing Report after all the other business before the Committee was disposed of.
6. Social Fund Commissioner for Northern Ireland
Members considered a letter from Sir Richard Tilt, Social Fund Commissioner for Northern Ireland and agreed to invite him to a future meeting. The Clerk was asked to make the necessary arrangements.
Subordinate Legislation
It was proposed by the Chairperson and seconded by Mr Tierney that
"The Committee for Social Development resolves, under Standing Order 41, to delegate to the Examiner of Statutory Rules the Technical scrutiny of Statutory Rules referred to the Committee under the Standing Order 41. The Committee further resolves that, in carrying out this function, the Examiner shall be authorised to report his technical findings on each Statutory Rule to the Assembly, through the Business Office, and to the relevant Department, as well as to the Committee itself and to publish his report."
The Motion was agreed, unanimously, subject to the Clerk clarifying that the Committee had competence to pass the Motion.
Mr M Robinson joined the meeting at 2.27 p.m.
Review of Community Relations Policy
Members considered the Working Paper on the Review of Community Relations Policy and the proposed reply, tabled.
It was proposed by Mr Wilson, seconded by Mr Robinson, that the suggested reply should be amended to include a reference to the need for monitoring and evaluation of all public monies expended on Community Relations policy.
The Committee divided Ayes 2, Noes 6
It was further proposed by Mr Tierney, seconded by Mr O'Connor, that the suggested reply should draw attention to the fact that the Working Paper failed to acknowledge that 'Community Development' (a responsibility of the Department for Social Development) was relevant to any review of Community Relations policy
The Committee divided Ayes 6, Noes 2.
The Chairman undertook to write to Mr Poots, Chairman of the Committee of the Centre accordingly.
Press Release: Appointments to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Members noted the recent announcement about appointments to the Board of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
5. Report on Housing in Northern Ireland (continued)
The Committee conducted a final reading of its Report on Housing in Northern Ireland as follows
Section 1 deferred.
Section 2 agreed, subject to the correction of minor typographical errors.
Section 3 agreed, subject to the inclusion of a new, penultimate sentence, in the second paragraph, about the role of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
Section 4 agreed.
Section 5 agreed, subject to the inclusion of additional wording, in the principal recommendation, about the introduction and operation of a 'licensing scheme'.
Mr T Hamilton left the meeting at 3.00 p.m.
Section 6 agreed.
Section 7 agreed, subject to re-wording of the principal recommendation.
Ms M Gildernew left the meeting at 3.28 p.m.
The Committee further agreed the annexes to the Report and then returned to Section 1; it was agreed, subject to consequential amendments arising from the Committee's consideration of Sections 5 and 7.
Resolved: That the Draft Report should be ordered for printing, subject to amendments.
7. Any Other Business (continued)
Legislative Programme 2001/2002
Members noted the letter of 27 September 2001 from OFMDFM to the Speaker of the Assembly about the legislative programme.
The Chairman undertook to write to the Minister to enquire what plans he had to consult with the Committee in advance of publishing, for consultation, his proposals for a Housing Bill.
The next Committee meeting will be at 2.00 p.m. on Thursday 25 October 2001 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
MR F COBAIN
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
OCTOBER 2001
11 October 2001 / Menu / 25 October 2001