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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE FOURTEENTH MEETING OF THE HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE IN ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS ON TUESDAY 27 JUNE 2000. 1. Apologies PRESENT: Dr E Birnie (Chairman) IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs E Sung, Ms A Colville, Mr C Jones and Mrs C McGrattan
1.0 Apologies (Closed Session) Bob Coulter, John Dallat, Roger Hutchinson, Monica McWilliams.
2.0 Draft minutes of proceedings of meeting on 20 June 2000 Agreed as amended.
(a) Forward Work Programme Noted. Draft Work Programme for Committee provided to end of September 2000. HFETE Minister to attend Committee meeting on the morning of Thursday 6/7/00 to give evidence on budget priorities. Agreed. Dr Steedman to be asked to attend at 2:00pm on 6/7/00 to advise the Committee on issues relating to their first enquiry. She will speak on a paper on education and training for industry which she will provide. Committee meetings will possibly be held on Tuesday and Thursday 29 and 31 August, subject to Committee staff ensuring that a quorum of members would be available.
(b) Draft Letter to Minister re SPUR Agreed. Chairman’s letter to the Minister expressing the Committee’s concern at the handling of the SPUR statement and their desire, in future, to be more fully involved in major decisions involving expenditure. Noted. A written brief on the Walsh Visa Programme would be provided for the meeting on Tuesday 4/7/00.
(c) Motion on New Deal Noted. The Chairman had sent the Committee’s Motion on New Deal to the Chairman of the Business Committee. They will decide today (27/6) whether to accept for debate in the Assembly before summer recess.
(d) Letter from F Molloy to Finance Minister
Noted. Mr Molloy's submission reflected the views of the Committee on Public Expenditure 2000/01 and End of Year Flexibility.
(e) Other Matters Arising
Noted. Certain advisers had not so far responded to the approach to be considered as potential advisers to the Committee Enquiry. (Note: It was further reported by the Clerk, on 4 July, that CVs had now been submitted and Assembly Research would consider what contribution they could make in other areas.) When setting up their networks, Assembly Research had already looked at trawling the Higher and Further Education colleges for potential advisers to the enquiry. Members were advised that staff carrying out relevant research in these institutions would have links with the universities in any case.
4.0 Evidence Session by Professor Bob Osborne and colleagues (Centre for Research on Higher Education) Prior to Professor Osborne’s attendance, Members agreed that the remainder of the meeting should be conducted as an open session and broadcasted to the Press Room. Professor Osborne and two colleagues were welcomed by the Chairman and, after a brief introduction outlining the role of the Centre for Research on Higher Education, he answered Members’ questions until 1:55pm. A transcript of this evidence session will be provided for Members. Agreed.
Professor Osborne would be available from mid-July onwards to work on a series of linked papers for the Committee to include:
(a) Programme for Government Letter received from the Minister on 26/6/00 asking for the Committee’s initial views on the Programme for Government. Chairman’s initial thoughts on the Programme were circulated to Members. Agreed. Members would provide written comments to Clerk of Committee by Friday 30/6/00. Response would be agreed at the meeting on Tuesday 4/7/00. Clarification would be sought on the nature of the Ministerial Representatives Drafting Group which, according to the Minister’s letter to the Committee on 2 June 2000, "would be carrying out detailed work on the Programme for Government over the summer months."
6.0 Budget (In Year Allocations 2000/01)
(a) Departmental Estimates 2000/01 Noted. Paper received from Assembly Business Unit on the Department’s main programmes and the budget allocations for each. Agreed. As the budget allocations for 2000/01 have already been agreed, the paper provided useful baseline information for the future. If necessary, Members should request further information from the Minister at the meeting on Thursday July.
(b) HM Treasury Guide to Resource Accounting and Budgeting This was largely based on the Westminster experience but would provide a useful background, as it was also relevant to the Assembly.
Agreed. Chairman to raise at Liaison Group the desirability of technical briefing on the Resource Accounting and Budgeting process for all statutory Committees.
(a) Press Releases for Committee meetings on 27 June and 29 June 2000.
Agreed for issue as amended.
(b) Sample Questions for Evidence Session on 29 June Noted. These were available in Members’ folders. A full range of Labour Market Bulletins was available in the Assembly Library. The final Report from the National Skills Task Force (GB) is published today.
(c) HFETE input to draft Regional Development Strategy Noted. Summary, provided by Assembly Research, of the Strategy’s implications for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, also Chairman's views. Other points arising were:
Agreed. Members' views on the Strategy and its recommendations to be passed to the Clerk of the Committee to draft a response for consideration at the meeting on Tuesday 4 July.
(d) UTV Insight Programme 26 June (Closed Session) The programme contained a case study on suspected impropriety in respect of £1.4 million of funding (including some EU funds) which had been allocated to Kinawley Integrated Teleworking Enterprises (KITE) from DHFETE. Agreed. The Chairman would alert the Minister to the Committee's interest before he attended Committee on Thursday 6 July. The Clerk will hold a video of the programme for consultation.
(e) Date of next meeting set for Thursday 29 June at 2:00pm. Meeting closed at 2:30pm. Esmond Birnie ESMOND BIRNIE |