Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened in public session at 10.06 am.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Chairperson’s Business

• The Chairperson informed Members that he, the Deputy Chairperson and the Clerk met with the Minister yesterday, ahead of his announcement in the Assembly on Teacher Training Infrastructure.

3. Minutes of the meeting held on 15 May 2013

Agreed: The minutes of the meeting were agreed.

4. Matters arising

• The Committee noted a list of matters arising from the previous meeting.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Committee’s Report on its visit to Geneva, Switzerland considered at last week’s meeting should be placed on the Committee webpage.

5. Correspondence

The Committee considered the following items of correspondence:

• The Committee considered Departmental correspondence advising of the transposition of the Alternative Investment managers Directive (2011/61/EU).
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

• The Committee considered a Departmental update on the implementation of Graduating to Success and Access to Success.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking an oral briefing on the strategies.

• The Committee considered a Departmental response regarding protected employment places.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the Department’s response.

• The Committee considered a Departmental response to the Committee’s request for an update on the Review of Teacher Education.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the response to the Committee for Education for information.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting that it be kept updated on the Review and for information on the proposed time table.

• The Committee considered a request from Include Youth to meet with the Chairperson to discuss relevant issues.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a meeting in its Ballymena Office into the Forward Work Programme.

10.11 am Mr Hilditch joined the meeting.

• The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment regarding a Third Sector Mapping Exercise.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

• The Committee considered a response from the University of Ulster regarding the closure of Crèche facilities.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the University of Ulster requesting to be kept updated on this issue.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the Crèche Parents Group, the Committee for OFMDFM and the Committee for Education for information.

• The Committee considered additional information provided by the Department on the Programme for Government Targets.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting information on whether the extension of the present mandate by one year will ease the pressures on achieving PfG Targets.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting further details on the types of employment achieved in each of the offices specified at Annex A of the correspondence.

• The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety on Suicide Prevention.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

• The Committee considered a response from the Department of Education regarding issues raised during the NISCA briefing on the Committee Inquiry into Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to include in the Careers Inquiry into Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Report.

• The Committee considered a response from the Minister for Education to the Committee regarding the Entitlement Framework.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the response and forward it to the University and College Union for information.

• The Committee considered an invitation to the 3rd Annual Symposium on expertise in Sustainable Energy on 3-4 June 2013 in Lagan Valley Conference Centre, Lisburn.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that an Assembly Researcher attend the Symposium.

• The Committee considered an invitation to the Chairperson to a farewell dinner for Professor Sir Peter Gregson on 20 June 2013 in the Whitla Hall, Queen’s University Belfast.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the invitation.

6. Forward Work Programme

• The Committee considered the draft Forward Work Programme up to 4 September 2013.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule an oral briefing with Grant Thornton, the authors of the Department’s Study of the Teacher Education Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, into the Forward Work Programme.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule an oral briefing with St Mary’s and Stranmillis Colleges regarding the Minister’s announcement on Teacher Education Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, into the Forward Work Programme.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a visit to the Northern Ireland Science Park into the Forward Work Programme.

7. Correspondence

The Committee agreed to move to Agenda Item 5

• The Committee considered correspondence from the Northern Regional College regarding a complaint that has been made.
  Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to Mr Leslie Cree MLA, in confidence, for information.

8. Subordinate Legislation: SR 2013 128 - The Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations (NI) 2009 (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2013

The Committee agreed to move to Agenda Item 7

Agreed: That the Committee for Employment and Learning has considered SR 2013 128 - The Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations (NI) 2009 (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2013 and subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rule’s report has no objection to the rule.

10.27 am. Mr Allister left the meeting.

9. Departmental Briefing from Department of Finance and Personnel and the Department for Employment and Learning Officials on NISRA Quarterly Labour Market Statistics

The Committee agreed to move to Agenda Item 8

Officials joined the meeting at 10.27 am.

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

10.37 am. Mr Buchanan joined the meeting.

10.47 am. Mr Lyttle joined the meeting.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

The officials agreed to provide the Committee with further information on whether the figures for people going abroad means leaving the UK or leaving Northern Ireland and to provide the time series of these figures over the years.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a briefing paper from the Assembly Research and Information Service on how the figures for those Not in Education, Employment and Training are collated and how the wider employment and unemployment rates are measured.

Officials left the meeting at 11.30 am.

10. Briefing from Momentum

The Committee agreed to move to Agenda Item 9

Representatives joined the meeting at 11.32 am.

The Committee was briefed Mr Rob McConnell, Chairman of Momentum and Director of SQS, Dr Ian Graham, CEO of Momentum, Mr John Healy, Head of Technology for Citi and Mr Justin Edwards, Assistant CEO and Director Curriculum, Belfast Metropolitan College.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

12.02 am. Mr Ramsey left the meeting.

The representatives left the meeting at 12.16 pm.

11. Briefing from SummitSkills Sector Council for Mechanical and Electrical Sector

The Committee agreed to move to Agenda Item 10

Representatives joined the meeting at 12.17 pm.

The Committee was briefed by Mr Richard O’Lone, Director ROL Testing and Chair of the SummitSkills M&E Sector Skills Council NI, Mr Morris Cairns, Managing Director of Blackbourne M&E, Mr Duncan Wilson, Deputy Chief Executive and head of training of SNIPF (Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation) and Mr Bob Blake, SummitSkills Head of Employer Engagement.

12.21 pm. Mr Ross left the meeting.

12.31 pm. Mr Swann left the meeting and Mr Buchanan took the Chair.

12.32 pm. Mr Swann re-joined the meeting and took the Chair.

The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

12.42 pm Mr Douglas left the meeting.

12.50 pm Ms McGahan left the meeting.

The representatives left the meeting at 12.59 pm.

12. Any other Business

The Committee agreed to move to Agenda Item 11

None.

13. Date, time and place of next meeting

The Committee agreed to move to Agenda Item 12

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the next meeting should be held on Wednesday 29 May 2013 at 10:00 am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.59 pm.

Mr Robin Swann MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
29 May 2013