THURSDAY 24 JANUARY 2002 AT 2.00 PM IN ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr F Cobain (Chairman) Ms M Gildernew (Deputy Chairperson) Mr E ONeill Sir J Gorman Mr T Hamilton Mr M Robinson Mr J Tierney Mr D O'Connor Mr B Hutchinson
Apologies:
In Attendance: Mr S Graham Mr L McLernon Mrs Janette Anderson Miss F Douglas
Mr Cobain took the chair at 2.16 p.m.
Private Session
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 17 January 2002.
The minutes of the meeting were agreed.
2. Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
3. Subordinate Legislation - Motions
The Committee passed the following Motions subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules' Report:
"The Social Development Committee has considered the following Statutory Rule:
SR 2001 No. 440 - The Additional Pension and Social Security Pensions (Home Responsibilities)
(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001
and have no objection to the Rule"
"The Social Development Committee has considered the following Statutory Rule:
SR 2001 No. 441 - The Social Security (Inherited SERPS) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001
and recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly".
Members acknowledged the benefit of the documentation provided by the Committee Office staff in respect of Statutory Rules.
Public Session
4. Social Fund for Northern Ireland
Those in attendance: Sir Richard Tilt Mr Dennis Bowles Mrs Mary McConville Mrs Molly O'Neill
The Chairman welcomed the representatives to the meeting at 2.20 p.m. and invited Sir Richard Tilt to make his presentation; it was followed by a question and answer session.
The discussions are recorded separately in verbatim minutes of evidence.
Mr D O'Connor joined the meeting at 2.37 p.m. Ms M Gildernew joined the meeting at 2.46 p.m.
The Chairman thanked the representatives and they left at 3.01 p.m.
Mr F Cobain Chairman vacated the Chair at 3.04 p.m. Ms M Gildernew Deputy Chairperson took the Chair at 3.05 p.m.
5. Employment Bill
The Deputy Chairperson welcomed the following officials to the meeting at 3.06 p.m.
DSD Officials: Mr John O'Neill Miss Joan Crabb Mr Maurice Burn
Mr O'Neill made a presentation to the Committee and a question and answer session followed. The discussions are recorded separately in verbatim minutes of evidence.
Mr M Robinson joined the meeting at 3.18 p.m.
The meeting was suspended at 3.40 p.m. and reconvened at 3.55 p.m.
6. Housing Bill
The Deputy Chairperson welcomed the following officials to the meeting at 3.56 p.m.
DSD Officials: Mr Scot Carson Miss George Davidson Mr Jerome Burns
Mr Carson and his colleagues made a presentation to the Committee and a question and answer session followed. The discussions are recorded separately in verbatim minutes of evidence.
The proceedings of the Committee were disrupted, for a time, by external noise and the Clerk was asked to have the matter investigated and reported.
Mr J Tierney left the meeting at 4.40 p.m. Mr M Robinson left the meeting at 4.45 p.m. Mr T Hamilton left the meeting at 4.54 p.m. Mr J Tierney joined the meeting at 4.54 p.m. Mr D O'Connor left the meeting at 5.00 p.m.
7. Revised Budget 2002 - 2003
The Committee agreed the terms of the draft letter to the Minister concerning the Revised Budget 2002 - 2003.
Private Session
8. Housing Inquiry (Homelessness) - Written Submissions
Members reviewed the written submissions concerning the second phase of the Housing Inquiry (Homelessness) and the proposed schedule for Oral Evidence sessions.
Following discussion the Committee agreed that the majority of oral evidence sessions should be arranged at the beginning of the regular Thursday meetings of the Committee (prior to the disposal of normal Committee business) but that, where necessary, oral evidence sessions might be convened in the early part of Tuesday afternoons. Members agreed that the oral evidence sessions should commence in the week beginning 4 February with the aim of completing these sessions by 15 March. The Clerk was asked to arrange oral evidence sessions with those organisations which the Committee had selected from the list of those which had made written submissions.
The Committee further agreed that, over the next 8 weeks, it would be necessary to extend the duration of Committee meetings in order to dispose of all the business before it.
Mr E ONeill left the meeting at 5.20 p.m.
9. Any Other Business
N.I Region of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters
The Committee, in acknowledging the proposal for an Assembly debate on the future of post offices, recalled that the NI Region of the Federation of Sub-Postmasters had made a request to make a presentation to the Committee in October 2001. The Committee noted that the Federation had subsequently asked to defer the presentation to await the outcome of a National Report.
The Committee asked that research be commissioned to clarify the extent to which it might engage with the Federation; the Clerk confirmed that the Federation had indicated that it was unlikely to be in a position to make its presentation to the Committee before the end of February 2002.
10. Date of Next Meeting
The next Committee meeting will be at 2.00 p.m. on Thursday 31 January in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
MR F COBAIN
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
JANUARY 2002
