Present: Dr Esmond Birnie (Chairperson)
Mr Mervyn Carrick (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs
Mrs Joan Carson
Mr John Dallat
Mr John Kelly
Mrs Mary Nelis
In Attendance: Dr Andrew C Peoples
Mr Colin Jones
Ms Anne Colville
Ms Catherine McGrattan
Apologies: Mr Joe Byrne
Mr William Hay
Mr Roger Hutchinson
Prof Monica McWilliams
Meeting opened at 2.10pm in open session.
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Approval of draft minutes of 1 March 2001
Agreed. Proposed: Mrs Nelis. Seconded: Mr Beggs.
The Chair informed members that proposed visits to Craigavon Borough Council and to Denmark had been postponed, due to the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease.
Members considered a draft response on DHFETE's bids for Executive Programme Funds and agreed this for issue to the Department.
Action: Clerk.
Having considered the policy implications of Statutory Rule 54/2001 on 15 February, members considered the Examiner of Statutory Rules' Report on the Rule. It was agreed that "the Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment Committee has considered Statutory Rule 54/2001, "Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001" and has no objections to the Rule."
The Clerk to inform the Business Office that the Committee has no objections to this Statutory Rule.
Action: Clerk.
Members considered notifications from DHFETE of two Statutory Rules at pre-draft stage. It was agreed to ask for a briefing from officials on both the proposed Statutory Rules for next week's meeting.
Action: Clerk.
Members considered the draft Regional Development Strategy sent for final comment, and noted that this was a "Restricted Policy" document, to be returned to the DRD Committee Office once any response had been finalised. As any response had to be issued by 23 March 2001, members directed the Clerk to trawl the current document and extract any references to DHFETE. Members had particular concerns over the proposals for new housing developments and the subsequent growth in the labour force in these particular areas. There would need to be plans in place to provide the infrastructure to ensure that the necessary access to training and employment facilities was in place.
Action: Clerk.
As part of the Committee's Inquiry into "Education and Training for Industry," the Committee heard evidence from Mr Alan Barron, Group Human Resources Manager, Galen Ltd. After giving a brief overview of the company, including the recruitment difficulties which they were currently experiencing in filling posts from within Northern Ireland, especially in the formulation of new drugs, Mr Barron discussed the following areas with members:
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the religious breakdown of Galen's workforce;
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Galen's links with local schools and colleges to improve recruitment problems at professional level;
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the potential for bursaries or scholarships to be used as incentives for students to study pure chemistry;
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how opportunities within Galen are being communicated to school children via careers guidance;
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the methods for projecting growth in the pharmaceutical industry as a means of forecasting demand for labour; and
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the benefits of a "year out" in the private sector for students studying chemistry.
Members considered the draft Code of Practice on Access to Workers during Recognition and Derecognition Ballots, which had been received from DHFETE subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. Members examined a research paper on the guidance and agreed to ask for a briefing from officials at next week's meeting, before deciding on the format of any response.
Action: Clerk.
Members considered the Minister's response re the eligibility criteria for the Walsh Visa programme. It was noted that there was no provision for special circumstances in which the criteria could be relaxed. Members agreed that individual cases should be taken up with the Department as constituency matters.
Members noted the Department's response detailing funding for the Open University.
Members welcomed receipt of the Finance and Personnel Committee's Terms of Reference for their forthcoming Inquiry into Public and Private Partnerships and noted that this would focus on general principles, rather than on individual projects which fall within the remit of other Committees. Any comments were to be forwarded to the Finance and Personnel Committee by 12 April 2001. Members asked for further information to be obtained from DHFETE on the number of historical PFI projects which had not come to fruition, and on the contracts drawn up for recent initiatives. In addition, Assembly Research would be asked to provide details on the outcome of a similar study recently conducted at Westminster.
Action: Clerk
Members noted and agreed a proposed Forward Work Programme until the Easter recess and a paper from the Clerk detailing proposed milestones for the current Inquiry. It was agreed that a single report would be issued, outlining the problems found and appropriate recommendations for improvement. The evidence sessions would be published in a separate volume, and the written submissions received would not all be published in the formal report.
It was also agreed that the Committee could possibly reschedule their visit to Denmark for June 2001. The Clerk would monitor developments relating to the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease, before making a firm proposal. Boston College would submit a proposed programme for a visit in September/October 2001.
Action: Clerk
Members noted and welcomed the official notification of DHFETE's change of title. This would require primary legislation, which would come before the Committee in due course.
Members noted that the Clerk was still attempting to obtain the data requested by the Committee on staffing issues at Further Education Colleges. This was proving to be a drawn out process and the Committee agreed to contact the individual Colleges directly. Whilst members did not wish the Committee to become involved in individual cases, they expressed concern at the potential effect on students of any lack of staff continuity and at the possible absence of an oversight mechanism, post-incorporation, to address such issues. Members noted that the Clerk had contacted NATFHE representatives and they were prepared to brief the Committee if required.
Action: Clerk
Members noted an invitation to the official launch of "Employment Rights Booklets and Facts at a Glance for small Firms", in Adelaide House at 12.00pm on Tuesday 27th March 2001. It was agreed that members would respond directly to the invitation.
10. Date and time of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Thursday, 15 March 2001 at 2.00pm in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.55pm.
Dr Esmond Birnie
Chairperson, Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment Committee
15 March 2001
