TUESDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2000 AT 12.00 PM IN ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Mr F Cobain (Chairman) Ms M Gildernew (Deputy Chairperson) Sir J Gorman Mr B Hutchinson Mr D McClarty Mr E ONeill Mr M Robinson

In Attendance: Mr G Martin Mr D Harkin Mr L Hart Ms V Surplus

Mr F Cobain took the Chair.

1. Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.

2. Matters Arising

There were no matters arising.

3. Subordinate Legislation

Question put and agreed to:

That the Social Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 1999 No. 501 - The Income Support (General) and Jobseeker's Allowance (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 and has no objection to the Rule.

The Clerk will report immediately the Committee's consideration of the above- mentioned Rule to the Business Office for inclusion in the Assembly's minute of proceedings.

4. Voluntary and Community Sector Compact

In a wide-ranging discussion the Committee was in agreement on the following points:

• There is an urgent need to evaluate the work of the community/voluntary sector, not only financially but also with a view to developing support mechanisms that can help maximise its contribution to the community.

• There is a plethora of groups involved but little or no co-ordination to identify and eradicate duplication, which is acknowledged as a problem.

• The potential for rationalisation and integration within the sector needs to be realised.

• The voluntary /community sector's relationship with Government needs to be streamlined and focused.

• Given the imperative to target limited resources effectively (European funds are due to end in five to six years), it is vital that community/voluntary groups be able to provide clear action plans especially in terms of how they aim to target social need.

• The Committee will need to avoid parochialism and take a holistic approach in its consideration of this area.

Agreed:

1. The Clerk will obtain copies of the Compact documents for England, Scotland and Wales along with Alun Michael's Labour Government consultation document on this area. The Clerk will request from the Department the names of the organisations that responded to the consultation exercise leading to the Compact document for NI.     

2. Following the Committee meeting on Thursday 3 February, at which the Minister and Senior Departmental Officials are due to speak on Compact, the Clerk will draft terms of reference for a Committee report on this area, which Members can consider at the meeting scheduled for Tuesday 8 February.     

5. AOB

1. The Minister will attend the Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday 3 February to speak to the Department's Consultation Paper on Street Trading. As this will ultimately involve the introduction of primary legislation on which the Committee must report to the Assembly, Hansard will record the evidence session.     

2. Agreed: The Committee discussed the Departmental proposal to increase Housing Executive rents by 4.5% from April 2000. It was accepted that the situation had been largely inherited, and, therefore, while the Committee reluctantly agreed with the proposal, it wants the Department to involve it early on in future discussions relating to annual rental increases, which it feels should reflect more closely the rate of inflation. The Clerk will respond to the Department.

6. Date of the Next Meeting

The Committee will meet next at 2.00 PM on Thursday 3 February in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

MR F COBAIN  

COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN