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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTEENTH MEETING OF THE HIGHER
AND FURTHER EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE 1. Apologies PRESENT: Dr E Birnie (Chairman) IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs E Sung, Ms A Colville, Mr C Jones and Mrs C McGrattan
Mervyn Carrick for late arrival (12 noon).
2. Draft Minutes of Meeting on Thursday 29/6/00 Agreed.
(a) Draft Forward Work Programme Noted and agreed. This has been amended to reflect the points raised at the meeting on Tuesday 4 July.
Agreed. Due to the availability of, at best, a mere quorum in August, the first meeting after recess will be held on Tuesday 5 September. Because of the volume of work, two meetings each week continue to be necessary.
(b) Draft Response to Programme for Government Noted and agreed. The Committee response, amended to clarify "Cross Cutting" issues, will be issued to the Minister by 7 July.
(c) Draft Response to "Shaping Our Future" (Regional Development Strategy) Noted and agreed. Revised response will be issued to the Chairman of the Regional Development Committee by 7 July.
(d) Draft Response to TSN Action Plan Noted and agreed as amended. The Committee may subsequently seek clarification through a briefing. This is to be noted in the Committee’s response, which can then be issued.
(a) Copies of Responses to the DFHETE Review of Student Finance Noted. A list of public bodies who had responded to the above review was included in folders and submissions were available from the Committee office. The Department was currently approaching private individuals to obtain permission to release their submissions.
(b) DHFETE Business Plan Proofs had been sent to Members on 4 July and printed copies were tabled.
(c) Sample Questions for Evidence Session with Minister Additional sample questions were noted and considered.
Noted. The Chairman had received a response from the Minister today (6/7/00) on KITE. The Committee may return to this case at a later stage.
5. Open Evidence Session: Dr Sean Farren (Minister for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment) The Minister appeared before the Committee to give advice on the Department’s budget and Annual Plan in the context of the overall budget allocation.
Details of this evidence session form part of the Official Record and the transcript will be available for reference in due course on the Committee website.
(a) Ministerial Press Releases
Noted and agreed. Chairman to write to the Minister to clarify that existing places on merged Training Centres would not be counted towards achievement of the target for additional places in Further Education outlined in the Department’s Business Plan.
(b) Transcripts of Evidence Session Transcripts of the evidence session with Bill McGinnis (Chairman T&EA and Skills Taskforce), Tom Scott (Director Skills and Industry Division T&EA) and Michael Anyadike Danes (Director Northern Ireland Economic Research Centre) were distributed, and Members asked to advise the Clerk of any essential editing changes required.
(c) Minister’s engagements Details of Dr Farren’s diary for week ended 30 June 2000 were included in Members’ folders.
(d) Press Notice for meeting on 5 September Agreed. The Chairman would prepare a press release for the first meeting after the summer recess.
(e) Schedule for Committee Meetings The arrangements for the twice-weekly meetings were discussed. Agreed. Evidence sessions would continue to be organised for Thursdays, legislation and other business for Tuesdays. These arrangements could be reviewed after recess.
(f) Advisers for the Enquiry and Response to Student Finance A background paper on Education and Training for Industry from Dr Hilary Steedman was tabled. Agreed. Following essential amendments, the final version would be issued to Members. A final decision on the appointment of an adviser would be issued as soon as possible.
Noted. Professor Osborne will meet with the Clerk on 24 July to report progress on reports commissioned for the Committee.
(g) Next Meeting Tuesday 5/9/00 at 12:30pm. Meeting closed at 1:40pm.
ESMOND BIRNIE |