Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2009/2010
Date: 21 October 2009
Venue: Loughview Suite, University of Ulster, Jordanstown
The meeting opened at 10.10am in public session
Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
1. Minutes of the meetings held on 14th October 2009
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
University of Ulster briefing on its North West Development Plan and Greater Belfast Development Plan
10.20 am Mr Clarke joined the meeting
Professor Richard Barnett, Vice Chancellor, provided an overview of the context for future University development. The Committee also received a briefing from Professor Deirdre Heenan, Dean of Academic Development, on the progress of the University’s North West Development Plan, while Professor Alastair Adair, ProVice Chancellor, updated the Committee on the planned development of the Belfast and Jordanstown campuses of the University. The briefings were followed by a question and answer session.
2. Primary Legislation
The Committee considered the Committee Report on the Employment Bill.
Agreed: Members agreed the Executive Summary, paragraphs 1 to 6 of the report
Agreed: Members agreed the Introduction, paragraphs 7 to 17 of the report
Agreed: Members agreed the Consideration of the Bill, paragraphs 18 to 32 of the report
Agreed: Members agreed the Clause by Clause Scrutiny of the Bill, paragraphs 33 to 45 of the report
Agreed: Members agreed the Proposed Amendments to the Bill, paragraphs 41 to 56 of the report
Agreed: Members noted the caveats that the Report applies to Members’ agreement of the Bill and the proposed DEL amendments to the Bill.
Agreed: Members were content that the report should be printed.
4. Matters Arising
- Draft Sustainable Development Strategy
Agreed: Members considered the draft Committee response to the Draft Sustainable Development Strategy, and agreed that the response should be forwarded to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
- 2009 Pay Increases for support staff in the Further Education sector
Agreed: Members noted correspondence from NIPSA in relation to 2009 pay increases for support staff in the Further Education sector and agreed to forward this letter to the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges for comment.
- Facilities Services and Childcare Facilities at the University of Ulster
Agreed: Members noted the response from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ulster addressing its concerns about facilities services and childcare facilities at the University.
- UNISON Press Release on Bullying in the Workplace
Agreed: Members noted the above press release and agreed to request a briefing paper from UNISON. The Committee further agreed to ask for a response on this issue from the Department.
- Executive’s European Engagement Action Plan 2009/10
Agreed: Members agreed to note this Action Plan and the Committee’s contribution to it.
5. Chairperson’s Business
Members noted a number of items of correspondence and agreed responses.
6. Departmental Press Notices
Members noted a number of Departmental press notice issued recently. The Committee agreed to send a letter of congratulations to the eleven Northern Ireland winners in the 2009 National Training Awards competition.
7. Any Other Business
- Queens University – Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2009 Award
Agreed: Members agreed to write to Queen’s University offering congratulations on being named the Times Higher Education Entrepreneurial University of the Year.
- Consultation on Additional Paternity Leave and Pay
Agreed: Members noted the above consultation document and agreed to contact stakeholders for their response.
- Invitation from the Minister to a Reception for Trevor Woods
Agreed: Members to indicate their intention to attend.
- Forward Work Programme – for information
Members noted the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for the period of October 2009 to January 2010.
- Workers Protection Fund / “Redundancy Validation”
Members considered a response from the Minister regarding the Workers’ Protection Fund and “Redundancy Validation” and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
- Correspondence from the Construction Employers Federation
Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Construction Employers Federation.
- Strabane Job Fair and Advice Forum
Agreed: Members noted information provided by the Department on the outcome of the Strabane Job Fair.
The Chairperson, on behalf of the Members, expressed her thanks to Mr Trevor Allen, Assistant Clerk, for his contribution to the work of the Committee.
8. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 4 th November 2009 in Room 30, Parliament Building.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12:02pm.
