Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened in public session at 10.08 am.

Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

1. Minutes of the meetings held on 23 February 2011

Agreed: The minutes were agreed.

2. Briefing from St Mary’s University College on the College’s Plan for Future Sustainability

Professor Peter Finn, Principal, and Brian McFall, Director of Finance and Administration, briefed the Committee on the findings of the consultants’ report commissioned by the College to demonstrate how its future viability can be sustained.

10.40 am Mr Jonathan Bell joined the meeting

11.03 am Mr John McCallister left the meeting

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to include the issue of the future sustainability of St Mary’s University College in its Legacy Report, to be pursued by the incoming Committee in the new mandate

3. Matters Arising

• Post Project Evaluations (PPEs)

Agreed: Members considered a quarterly update from the Finance and Personnel Committee detailing departmental PPEs outstanding, and agreed to write to DEL requesting information on the current position

• STEM Studies with the Open University

Members noted information supplied by representatives of the Open University as a follow-up to their briefing to the Committee.

11.26 am Mr Sydney Anderson left the meeting

• Committee Response to the draft Budget 2011 - 2015

Agreed: The Committee noted the response to the draft Budget 2011 -2015 which has already been sent to the Department, and agreed to forward it to the Finance and Personnel Committee for information

11.27 am Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting

• Further Information from QUB

Members noted information provided by the Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University, which was requested when he briefed the Committee.

• Training Allowances

Agreed: The Committee considered further information provided by the Department on allowances available to trainees and agreed to return to this issue at its next meeting

11.30 am Mr Sydney Anderson rejoined the meeting

• USDAW ‘Freedom from Fear’ campaign

Agreed: Members considered correspondence from the Chief Constable of the PSNI regarding the above campaign, and agreed to respond highlighting the Committee’s continuing interest in the campaign

• Consultation on the draft Budget 2011 -15

Members noted correspondence from the Finance and Personnel Committee regarding the publication by DFP of the responses to the public consultation on the draft Budget 2011 -2015

• Student fees

Agreed: Members considered correspondence from Ballymoney Youth Council regarding the proposed increase in student fees, and agreed to respond outlining the work that the Committee has done on this issue

• Draft End of Session Report 2010 -2011

Agreed: The Committee considered its draft End of Session report for 2010 -2011 and agreed that it was content for the Report to be published on the website when final statistics were available to be included

11.36 am Ms Sue Ramsey rejoined the meeting

• BMC Consultation

The Committee noted correspondence regarding the consultation being carried out by Belfast Metropolitan College on its Equality Scheme and Equality Improvement Plan.

• Members’ Attendance

Agreed: The Committee considered information on members’ attendance at Employment and Learning Committee meetings during the 2010 -2011 Assembly session, and agreed that individual members would contact the Committee office if they felt their personal information was inaccurate

4. ETI Report on the provision of Essential Skills at the South-Eastern Regional College

The Committee considered the Report of the Education and Training Inspectorate into the provision and outcomes of the Essential Skills Training being delivered at the South Eastern Regional College (SERC).

Agreed : The Committee agreed to defer further consideration of this Report pending the outcome of SERC’s appeal against its findings

5. Correspondence

Members considered one item of correspondence and agreed an appropriate response.

6. Chairperson’s Business

The Chairperson provided a brief outline of her attendance at informal meetings and events, and drew members’ attention to various invitations received.

7. Departmental Press Notices

Members noted a number of recent Departmental and other press releases.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request further information from the Department on the Press Release entitled, Titanic Quarter (TQ) Work Group Action Plan for Employment, Training and Skills

8. Any Other Business

Forward Work Programme

Agreed : Members considered the Committee’s Forward Work Programme up to the end of the Mandate and agreed that the meeting scheduled for 9 March 2011 should not proceed

9. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 16 March 2011 at 10.00 am in Room 29, Parliament Building

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.47 am

Mrs Dolores Kelly
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning

16 March 2011