COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 13TH JUNE 2007
COUNCIL CHAMBER, THE QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST
Present: Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Alex Attwood MLA
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mr Basil McCrea MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Mr Robin Newton MLA
Mr Alistair Ross MLA
In Attendance: Mr John Torney (Principal Clerk)
Mr Rab McConaghy (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Trevor Allen (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Collan Cree (Clerical Supervisor)
Miss Jessica Dougan (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Mr Jimmy Spratt MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Anna Lo MLA
The meeting opened at 10.01am in public session.
Apologies.
Apologies are detailed above.
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 6th June 2007 and Matters Arising.
Agreed: The draft minutes were agreed.
2. Matters Arising.
Members noted a paper from the Department for Employment and Learning entitled “Roles and responsibilities of the NI universities and the Department for Employment and Learning”.
The Clerk updated Members on revisions to the Committee’s Work Programme detailing the work of the Committee prior to the summer recess.
Agreed: Members noted and agreed a paper from the Clerk relating to the subordinate legislation on increasing holiday leave entitlement. A further briefing from the Department will be received at the Committee’s meeting on 27th June 2007.
The Committee discussed correspondence from the Minister on a range of literacy and numeracy issues.
3. Chairperson’s Business (Correspondences and Attendances).
Members noted a number of items of correspondence received by the Chairperson. The Chairperson updated Members on two briefing meetings held on the 12th June with two charities, ‘Age Concern Northern Ireland’ and ‘Learn and Grow’.
4. Briefing from Professor Gerry McCormac, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Outreach and Economic Development.
The Chairperson welcomed Professor Gerry McCormac, Mr Norman Bennett and Mr Trevor Newsom from Queen’s University. The Committee received a briefing on broad policy issues focusing on the university’s contribution to the local economy. The briefing was followed with a question and answer session. The Chairperson thanked officials for briefing the Committee and for hosting the Committee’s meeting and tour of the University’s facilities.
11.10am Mr McClarty left the meeting
5. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 20th June 2007 at 10.30am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.15am.
Following the adjournment of the meeting, as guests of the University, Members undertook a tour of three of the University’s key Research and Development Centres: the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, the Northern Ireland Technology Centre and the Polymer Processing Research Centre.