To ask the Minister for Social Development what action she it taking to implement the Positive Steps Report.

Since Positive Steps was published in 2005, Government has been working to implement the recommendations for action. I have taken an active interest and chair the Positive Steps Implementation Group, which is comprised of key senior officials from all government departments. The Group meets twice a year to monitor the implementation of the Positive Steps commitments and address any issues arising from these.

There has been considerable progress with the majority of Positive Steps commitments being achieved. A small number of important and relatively complex commitments have not yet been fully implemented. However, government has plans in place to examine the complexities of these outstanding commitments and to identify options for ensuring full implementation as soon as possible.

Some evidence of the significant progress made since 2005 includes:

Changing the regulation of charities in Northern Ireland. The Charities Act has been introduced and the appointment of the first Charity Commissioners for Northern Ireland will be announced in due course.

The £5 million Community Investment Fund in DSD for the 3 year period 2006 to 2009 is providing more strategic support for community development activity.

Rollout of the £18 million Modernisation Fund to help support and facilitate change is ongoing;

Departmental leads have been identified and strategic developments have been taken forward in key cross-cutting policy areas to do with Disability, Youth, Women and Rural Services.

I am confident that the significant progress made in implementing Positive Steps will have a long-term and beneficial impact on the sector and, most importantly, those it serves. Government and the voluntary and community sector, working together, can deliver the small number of Positive Steps commitments that remain to be fully implemented.