Minutes of Proceedings

Present:

Mr Basil McCrea MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jim Allister MLA
Mr Sammy Douglas MLA
Mr Chris Lyttle MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Mr Barry McElduff MLA
Mr David McIlveen MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Alastair Ross MLA                                                        

In Attendance:  

Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Vincent Gribbin (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lawless (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:   

None

The meeting opened in public session at 10.09 am.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Chairperson’s Business

• The Committee considered the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry into Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) in Northern Ireland. 

Agreed: The Committee agreed to issue the Terms of Reference for the inquiry to the list of consultees identified by Assembly Research and Information Service.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to issue the public notice to be published in the local newspapers in week commencing 23 July 2012.

• The Committee considered an invitation from Belfast City Council for the Committee to be representented during  EU Employment Week in Brussels on 27-28 November 2012. 

Agreed: The Committee were content for Committee staff to make further inquiries.

3. Minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2012

Agreed: The minutes of the meeting were agreed.

4. Matters arising

• The Committee noted a list of matters arising from the previous meeting.

5. Briefing from the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) on Shaping and Employment Programme that Works

10.15 am Mr Lyttle joined the meeting.

Representatives joined the meeting at 10.16 am.

The Committee was briefed by Mr Seamus McAleavey, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA), Mr Pat Boyle, Ashton Community Trust and Ms Susan Russam, GEMS NI on Shaping and Employment Programme that Works.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

10:29 am Mr Buchanan joined the meeting.

Agreed: NICVA representatives agreed to provide the Committee with additional information.

10:59 am Mr Fra Mc Cann left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department and request a briefing on the LEMIS programme and all other relevant programmes.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to copy the Hansard of the briefing to the Department for comment.

Representatives left the meeting at 11.09 am

6. Briefing from the Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service on EU Legislative Proposals 2012

The representative  joined the meeting at 11:10 am.

11:11 am Mr Allister joined the meeting.

11.13 am Mr McCann re-joined the meeting.

11.15 am Mr McElduff left the meeting.

The Committee was briefed by Mr Eoin Murphy, Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service on EU Legislative Proposals 2012.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

11.21 am Mr Pat Ramsey left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for comment on the recommendations made in the research papers.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to copy the research paper to local universities and ask for comment on the Higher Education aspect of the research.

Agreed: The Researcher agreed to update the Key European Union Issues of Note to the Committee for Employment and Learning Paper.

Agreed: The Researcher agreed to provide information on the impact of a European Union initiative on seafarers in Northern Ireland.

11.28 am Mr Alastair Ross left the meeting.

The representative left the meeting at 11:34 am

7. Briefing from The Northern Ireland Executive Office in Brussels on Thematic Priorities

Representatives joined the meeting at 11:34 am.

The Committee was briefed by Mr Colin Jack, Director of Strategy, European and Employment Relations Division , Ms Andrea Quail, Head of ESF Finance, Certifying Authority and European Policy Branch on the Thematic Priorities and Mr Gordon Browne, The Northern Ireland Executive Office in Brussels.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

12:05 am MrMcCann left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to arrange regular briefings via video conferencing with the Brussels Desk Officer.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the Hansard of the Assembly Research and Information Service on EU Legislative Proposals 2012 to the Department for comment.

Agreed: The Departmental officials agreed to provide the Committee with quarterly progress reports on the work of the Thematic Officer.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to copy the Assembly Research and Information Service papers to the Department for comment.

Representatives left the meeting at 12:14 am

8. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee considered SR 2012 No. 245, The Industrial Training Levy (Construction Industry) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012

Question put and agreed: 

 “That the Committee for Employment and Learning has considered SR 2012 No.245, The Industrial Training Levy (Construction Industry) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012, and has no objection to the rule.”

9. Correspondence

The Committee considered the following items of correspondence:

• Ministerial response to a breakfast briefing on an Oxford Economics Report on the introduction of a lower corporation tax.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this Response.

• Departmental research paper titled Underpinning Success - Department for Employment and Learning Research Agenda 2012-2015.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing.

• Correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the Race Relations Order 1997 (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this correspondence.

• Correspondence from the Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC) requesting to brief the Committee on the recent CASI 2011 Report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing.

• Ministerial response regarding Northern Ireland domiciled students holding Irish passports who re-apply as EU students in order to receive free tuition fees at Scottish universities.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this response.

• Correspondence from the Committee for Education requesting information from the Department for Employment and Learning regarding Education Committee Post-16 SEN Pupil Provision.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this correspondence and forward it to the Department for a response.

• Correspondence from the Department providing the Employment Agency Inspectorate’s Fourth Annual Report for information.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this correspondence.

• Departmental Regular Update on Apprenticeships - Position at 2 July 2012.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this correspondence.

• The Committee also noted invitations received.

10.  Draft Forward Work Programme

The Committee considered the draft Forward Work Programme up to 17 October 2012.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content to schedule these briefings.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that its first meeting after Summer Recess would be on 12 Septmeber 2012.

11.  Any Other Business

• The Committee considered the scientific breakthrough regarding the Higgs Boson.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that it should contact Mr Steve Myers to acknowledge his part in the scientific discovery and to invite him to an event to be held in September.

12.  Date, time and place of next meeting

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the next meeting should be held on Wednesday, 12 September 2012, at 10.00 am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.22 pm.

Mr Basil McCrea
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
12 September 2012