Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened in public session at 10.18 am.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Chairperson’s Business

• The Chairperson advised the Committee of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition taking place in Dublin from 9 to 12 January 2013.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to travel to Dublin to attend the Exhibition from 9 to 11 January and to arrange a number of other meetings with relevant organisations in the Republic of Ireland. 

• The Chairperson advised the Committee that the agreed visit to the South West Regional College, Enniskillen had been scheduled for 23 January 2013.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to travel Enniskillen on 22 January and hold a breakfast meeting with local representatives before the Committee meeting at 10.00 am.

• The Chairperson advised Members that the events that the Committee agreed to host in the Long Gallery for the Open University and the University of Ulster have been scheduled for 5 February and 9 April 2013.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to provide a buffet lunch for those attending the events.

3. Minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2012

Agreed: The minutes of the meeting were agreed.

4. Matters arising

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

• The Committee considered the recent redundancies at FG Wilson and discussed a response from the Department regarding the possibility of applying to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for assistance for FG Wilson workers.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for further information on its discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions regarding making an application to the Fund and to express concern that an application has not been made.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Vestas Group, Denmark, requesting information on its successful application to the Fund.

5. Departmental Briefing on the January Monitoring Round

The representative joined the meeting at 10.29 am.

The Committee was briefed by Mr John Smyth, Director of Finance on the January Monitoring Round.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

10.30 am Mr Flanagan left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting further information on the following issues:

• What are the projected historic and recruitment levels of PhD students in Northern Ireland?

• How are PhD student places allocated by subject and institution?

10.34 am Mr Flanagan re-joined the meeting.

• A definition of economic areas as detailed in the Ministers letter dated 3 December.

• Full details of enterprise allowances, including how people will be informed about them and why were the Committee not informed about these allowances previously.

10.38 am Mr Hilditch joined the meeting.

• Details of the main funding schemes for people with disabilities.

10.41 am Mr Flanagan left the meeting.

• Analysis of Ulster Supported Employment Ltd (USEL) financial status.

10.45 am Mr Flanagan re-joined the meeting.

11.02 am Mr Ramsey left the meeting.

• Full details of the skills and industry division underspend.

11.09 am Mr Ramsey re-joined the meeting.

11.10 am Mr Buchanan joined the meeting.

11.10 am Mr Lyttle joined the meeting.

11.12 am Mr Anderson left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister requesting further information on the re-classification of Colleges to Non-departmental Public Bodies and why the Minister thinks it necessary to carry out a consultation on colleges being classified as private organisations and St Mary’s College has not been re-classified.

11.14 am Mr Anderson re-joined the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting further information on why St Mary’s College has not been re-classified as a Non-departmental Public Body when Stranmillis College and the Further Education Colleges have been re-classified.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department regarding the Southern Regional College requesting information on whether its Craigavon Campus would be in a position to take advantage of any capital funding that may become available. 

The representative left the meeting at 11.22 am.

6. Briefing from the Rural Community Network

Representatives joined the meeting at 11.22 am.

The Committee was briefed by Mr Michael Hughes, Chief Executive and Mr Aidan Campbell, Policy and Public Affairs Officer on the work of the Rural Community Network.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

The representatives agreed to provide a submission to the Committee’s Inquiry into Careers Education, Advice, Information and Guidance in Northern Ireland and to provide further information on unused housing in rural areas.

11.38 am Mr Hilditch left the meeting.

11.43 am Mr Robinson left the meeting.

11.44 am Mr Ramsey left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting further information on a range of issues regarding the Learner Access Engagement programme:

• How many hours work can a person undertake before being excluded from the programme?

• What level of educational achievement excludes a person from the programme?

• Are providers limited in terms of class size?

11.45 am Mr Ramsey re-joined the meeting.

11.53 am Mr Ramsey left the meeting.

11.55 am Mr Robinson re-joined the meeting.

11.57 am Mr Flanagan left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to send a copy of the Hansard transcript to the Department for comment.

Representatives left the meeting at 12.04 pm.

7. Briefing from Belfast Metropolitan College on the Football Academy

Representatives joined the meeting at 12.04 pm.

The Committee was briefed by Mr Justin Edwards, Assistant CEO and Director of Curriculum, Mr Tiernan Lynch, Football Academy Co-Ordinator, Mr Seamus Lynch, Football Academy Co-Ordinator and Ms Heather Headley, Curriculum Area Manager Training Programmes & Schools Partnerships.

12.11 pm Mr Allister joined the meeting.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

12.21 pm Mr Hilditch re-joined the meeting.

12.32 pm Mr Allister left the meeting.

The representatives agreed to provide the Committee with a briefing paper regarding the  Belfast Metropolitan College’s proposals for the coaching element of the football academy and any additional information they wish to provide.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Desk Thematic Officer in Brussels for information on any potential linkages for Northern Regional College’s football academy. 

Representatives left the meeting at 12.40 pm.

12.40 pm Mr Anderson left the meeting.

12.40 pm Mr Lyttle left the meeting.

8. Briefing from Department of Finance and Personnel Officials on NISRA Quarterly Labour Market Statistics

The representatives joined the meeting at 12.40 pm.

The Committee was briefed by Mr James Gillen, Head of Economic & Labour Market Statistics, NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) and Mr Dave Rodgers, Co-Head of Analytical Services, Department for Employment and Learning on the NISRA Quarterly Labour Market Statistics.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

The representatives agreed to provide the ‘unadjusted’ labour Market Statistics.

1.21 pm Mr Hilditch left the meeting.

The representatives left the meeting at 1.22 pm.

The meeting lost quorum and was adjourned at 1.22 pm.

Mr Basil McCrea
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
16 January 2013