Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened at 10.06am in public session

1. Minutes of the meetings held on 16 th September 2009

Agreed: The minutes were agreed.

2. Briefing from the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) on its survey of ApprenticeshipsNI

10.12am Mr Hilditch joined the meeting
10.20am Mr Irwin joined the meeting
10.26am Mr Butler joined the meeting
10.34am Mr Buchanan joined the meeting

The Committee received a briefing from Officials from the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI): Stanley Goudie, Chief Inspector, John Baird, Assistant Chief Inspector, John Kennedy, Reporting Inspector, and Greer Henderson, Inspector, on the ETI Survey of ApprenticeshipsNI. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

3. Briefing on the Review of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)

The Committee received a briefing from Departmental Officials: Nuala Kerr, Director of Skills and Industry Division, and Linda Meldrum, Sectoral Development Branch, and from representatives of Deloitte: Colin Mounstephen and Jackie Henry, on the Review of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

The need to ensure that CITB levy paying companies are not disadvantaged as a result of the findings of the Review was emphasised.

11.18am Mr McClarty left the meeting
11.25am Mr Ramsey left the meeting
12.00pm Rev Dr Coulter left the meeting

4. Primary Legislation – Employment Bill

The Committee received a briefing from Departmental Officials: Valerie Reilly, Head of Employment Relations Policy & Legislation Branch, Lynne Taylor, Head of Central Management Branch, and Andrew Dawson of Central Management Branch, on the Employment Bill and the proposed amendments. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

Members noted a revised timeline for the Committee Stage of the Employment Bill.

The Committee commenced formal clause-by-clause consideration of the Employment Bill, taking account of the proposed amendments to the Bill.

Clauses 1 to 8

Question: That the Committee is content with the clauses, as drafted, put and agreed to.

Schedule 1 (Minor and Consequential Amendments)

Question: That the Committee is content with the schedule 1, as drafted, put and agreed to.

Schedule 2 (Repeals)

Question: That the Committee is content with the schedule 2, as drafted, put and agreed to.

5. Matter Arising

• “United States – Ireland Research and Development Partnership” – update paper

Members noted the above paper from the Department.

• Department for Social Development’s Voluntary Advice Services Consultation

Agreed: Members noted the above consultation and agreed that a draft response to the consultation be considered at the meeting on 30 th September.

• Response from DFP to Committee report on the “Way forward for apprenticeships”

Agreed: Members noted the above response and agreed to defer the issue until the Committee for Finance and Personnel publishes the report on its Inquiry into Public Procurement Policy.

• Correspondence from DFP on the “Review of the ETLC Scheme”

Agreed: Members noted the above correspondence and agreed to write to the Minister requesting his views and an update on the issue.

• Correspondence from CAL Committee on “Departmental Revenue from Proceeds of Crime”

Agreed: Members noted the above correspondence from Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Minister for response.

• OFMdFM Gender Equality Strategy Progress Report – draft response to be tabled

Agreed: Members discussed and approved the draft response to the OFMdFM Gender Equality Strategy and agreed that it be forwarded to the OFMdFM Committee. Members also agreed to write to the Minister on this issue.

• Issues raised by Include Youth during meeting of 16 th September

Agreed: Following on from the Committee briefing from representatives of Include Youth on 16 th September, Members discussed and agreed the wording of a Committee motion to the Assembly on the issue of w idening access to Education Maintenance Allowance. The motion is as follows:

“That this Assembly agrees that restricting the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) specifically to those enrolled in schools or colleges is a key factor inhibiting alternative education providers reaching those young people who have disengaged from mainstream education; and calls on the Minister for Employment and Learning to make EMA accessible to all young people who comply with the age criteria and are engaged in appropriate provision, whether this is in schools or colleges, or with a recognised alternative provider; and that the Minister should engage with the alternative education providers to establish whether the current attendance criteria regarding EMA are too prescriptive.”

• Issues raised during Departmental briefing on Programme-Led Apprenticeships

Members noted a forthcoming meeting of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson with the Minister to discuss issues raised during the briefing on this matter on 16 th September.

• Childcare facilities at Queens University

Member noted a factual inaccuracy arising from the meeting on 16 th September when it was stated that the childcare facility at Queens University had closed some time ago. This was incorrect, the childcare facility is still provided by the university.

6. Chairperson’s Business

The Chairperson updated Members on a meeting on 16 th September with representatives of the Quarry Products Association (QPA-NI) and ProSkills to discuss the issue of Essential Skills.

7. Departmental Press Notices

Members noted a number of Departmental press notice issued recently.

8. Any Other Business

• Forward Work Programme – for information

Members noted the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for the period of September to December 2009.

• Correspondence and press articles regarding the proposed closure of German Studies at Queens University

Agreed: Members noted a number of items of correspondence and press articles on the above issue, and on the more general issue of language graduates, and agreed to receive a briefing on the proposed closure.

• Annual Report of the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland 2008-2009

Members noted the above report.

• Correspondence from Learn and Grown

Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the above charitable company and agreed to write outlining the range of current programmes that provide similar opportunities to those proposed by Learn and Grow.

• Press article “CBI proposals have high cost”, Irish News 22 nd September 2009

Members noted the above press article.

• Tables information

Members noted a number of tabled items including:

• The Pension’s regulator’s code of practice for forwarding to the Department for consideration;
• Correspondence in relation to Polish language classes at Belfast Metropolitan College for forwarding to the Department for consideration;
• A University and College Union (UCU) press release on unions campaign to save nurseries in colleges and universities; and
• Correspondence from the Department in relation to the business case for the proposed merger of Stranmillis University College with Queens University.

9. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 30 th September at 10.00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12:37pm.

Ms Sue Ramsey
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
30th September 2009