Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened in public session at 10.05 am.

1. Apologies

Apologies are noted above.

2. Chair’s Business

There was no Chairperson’s business.

3. Minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2012

Agreed: The minutes of the meeting were agreed.

4. Matters arising

• The Committee discussed issues arising from last week’s briefing by representatives of the North West Regional College.

10.08 am Mr Fra McCann left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister, and to the Chairperson of the Governing Body of the College, to request documents to which reference had been made during the briefing.

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

5. Ministerial briefing on the proposed strategies on Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs) and on Youth Unemployment 

 The Minister and his officials joined the meeting at 10.12 am.

10.12 am Mr Fra McCann rejoined the meeting.

The Committee was briefed by Dr Stephen Farry, Minister for Employment and Learning, Mr Colin Jack, Director of Strategy, European and Employment Relations, and Mr Colum Boyle, Director of Employment Services.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session when the Minister agreed to forward a written copy of his briefing to the Committee.

The Minister and his officials left the meeting at 11.08 am.

6. Briefing from Stranmillis University College on the proposed merger with Queen’s University 

Representatives joined the meeting at 11.09 am.

The Committee was briefed by Dr Anne Heaslett, Principal and Chief Executive, and Ms Doreen Bell, Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Governors, on the proposed merger of Stranmillis College with Queen’s University.

11.25 am Mr Fra McCann left the meeting.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

12.23 pm Mr Barry McElduff left the meeting.

Representatives left the meeting at 12.25 pm.

7. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee agreed to move to agenda item 9.

The Committee considered the SL1 proposal to make The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012.

Agreed: the Committee agreed that it was content for the Department to proceed to make the Statutory Rule.

8. Correspondence

The Committee agreed to move to agenda item 10.

The Committee considered the following items of correspondence:

• Correspondence from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister acknowledging a request for information on the Barosso Taskforce Working Group

  Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this response.

• Copy of correspondence from the Committee for the Office of First Minister and deputy First Minister, informing all statutory Committees that the Committee for Employment and Learning had agreed to forward a list of stakeholders consulted on the re-distribution of the responsibilities of the Department for Employment and Learning

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this correspondence.

12.27 pm Mr Barry McElduff rejoined the meeting.

• Correspondence from the Committee for the Office of First Minister and deputy First Minister enclosing the Investing Activity Report for March 2012 for the Department for Employment and Learning

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this correspondence.

9. Draft Forward Work Programme

The Committee agreed to move to agenda item 11.

The Committee considered the draft Forward Work Programme up to 30 May 2012.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to hold a formal meeting on 25 April 2012.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to hold a formal meeting in Omagh on 2 May 2012.

10.  Any Other Business

The Committee agreed to move to agenda item 12.

There was no other business.

11.  Date, time and place of next meeting

The Committee agreed to move to agenda item 13.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the next Committee meeting would be a study visit to the new e3 campus of Belfast Metropolitan College, Springfield Road, Belfast.

12.33 pm Mr Pat Ramsey left the meeting.

12.33 pm Mr Sammy Douglas left the meeting.

12.  Departmental briefing on the work of Skills and Industry Division

Officials joined the meeting at 12.33 pm.

The Committee was briefed by Ms June Ingram, Director of Skills and Industry Division, Mr Michael Gould, Assistant Director Skills and Industry Division, Ms Frances O’Hara, Head of Careers Service Delivery, and Ms Angela McAllister, Head of Training Programmes, on the work of Skills and Industry Division.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

Officials left the meeting at 12.49 pm.

13.  Departmental briefing on Success through Skills

Officials joined the meeting at 12.50 pm.

The Committee was briefed by Ms June Ingram, Director of Skills and Industry Division, Mr Michael Gould, Assistant Director Skills and Industry Division, and Ms Sian McCleave, Head of Skills Policy Branch, on Success through Skills.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

Officials left the meeting at 1.00 pm.

The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.01pm.

Mr Basil McCrea
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
25 April 2012