THURSDAY 6 JULY 2000 AT 2.00 P.M. IN ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Mr F Cobain (Chairman)   Sir John Gorman   Mr B Hutchinson   Mr D McClarty   Mr E ONeill   Mr S Wilson

Apologies:   Mr J Tierney   Mr D O'Connor

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

Mr Cobain took the Chair at 2.08 pm.

Private Session

1. Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.

2. Matters Arising

There were no matters arising.

Public Session

3. Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill

Panel Members: Mr Nigel Dodds, Minister for Social Development

Mr Cliff Radcliffe, Deputy Secretary   Mr John O'Neill, Policy and Legislation Division   Mr Alastair Donnelly, Policy and Legislation Division   Miss Joan Crabb, Policy and Legislation Division

The Chairman welcomed the panel to the meeting at 2.16 pm. The Minister   spoke to a briefing paper, which had been copied to the Committee, that gave   an overview of the proposals contained in the Child Support, Pensions and Social   Security Bill. There followed a question-and-answer session, which is summarised   in Annex A.

4. Programme for Government

Panel Members: Mr Nigel Dodds, Minister for Social Development

Mr Cliff Radcliffe, Deputy Secretary   Mr Jim Johnston, Office of the Permanent Secretary

The Minister spoke to a written statement that he had made to the Committee   in connection with the Programme for Government. This was followed by a question-and-answer   session, which is summarised in Annex B.

5.New Targeting Social Need (TSN)

Panel Members: Mr Nigel Dodds, Minister for Social Development

Mr Cliff Radcliffe, Deputy Secretary   Mr Henry McArdle, Equality and Corporate Planning

The Chairman thanked the Minister for the new TSN Action Plan that had been   developed by his Department and copied to the Committee. He advised that the   Committee had drawn up a written response posing a number of questions about   the targets and objectives outlined. The Minister requested that the response   be forwarded urgently so that the points raised by the Committee could inform   the Department's final plan, which must be in place by the end of July, in accordance   with the timetable set out by the Executive.

The Chairman thanked the Minister and his officials, and they left the meeting   at 3.32 pm.

Agreed: The Chairman will write to the Office of the First and deputy   First Minister to register the Committee's objection to the deadline set for   the Department's final TSN plan, which did not allow time for its proper and   full consideration by the Committee.

6. Subordinate Legislation

Agreed: The Committee was content with the Department's proposals outlined   for Statutory Rules in respect of the following: The Social Security (Student's   Amounts Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Social Security (Miscellaneous   Amendments No.2) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Social Security (Capital Limits   and Earnings Disregards Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Social Security   (Zimbabwe Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Housing Benefit (General) (Amendment   No.6) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Social Security (Attendance Allowance and Disability   Living Allowance) (Amendment No.2) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Statutory Maternity   Pay (General) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Social Security (Therapeutic   Earnings Limits) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Social Security (Incapacity   Benefit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Social Fund (Winter   Fuel Payment and Maternity and Funeral Expenses) (General) (Amendment) Regulations   (NI) 2000; The Social Security (Crediting of Class 3 Contributions, Treatment   of Contributions for the Purposes of Contributory Benefit and Application for   National Insurance Numbers) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Register of Occupational   and Personal Pension Schemes (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000; The Personal   Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000;   The Occupational Pension Schemes (Republic of Ireland Schemes Exemption) Regulations   (NI) 2000; The Social Security (Payment on Account, Overpayments and Recovery)   (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000.

7. Date and Time of Next Meeting

The Committee will meet next at 2.00 pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings   on Thursday, 7 September 2000.

The meeting ended at 3.42 pm.

MR F COBAIN

COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

July 2000