Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 26TH SEPTEMBER 2007
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS


Present:
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Jimmy Spratt MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mr Basil McCrea MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Mr Robin Newton MLA
Mr Alastair Ross MLA

In Attendance:
Mr Rab McConaghy (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Trevor Allen (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Collan Cree (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Jonathan Young (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Mr Alex Attwood MLA

Mr Paul Butler MLA

Mr Nelson McCausland MLA

The meeting opened at 10.35am in public session.

Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

  1. Minutes of the meeting held on 19 th September 2007

Agreed: The draft minutes were agreed.

  1. Matters Arising
Further Education Lecturers’ Pay Dispute

Agreed: Members discussed the ongoing further education lecturers’ pay dispute and agreed that the Chairperson write to the Minister requesting regular updates on developments and negotiations.

Training for Success

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson write to the Department seeking clarification on a number of issues and that a draft plan and work programme for the monitoring and scrutiny of the Training for Success programme be prepared.

Concession Rates Applied by Further Education Colleges

Agreed: Members noted a position paper from the Department on this issue. The Committee agreed that the Chairperson notify the Minister that the Committee wishes to pursue this issue further and that the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges (ANIC) be contacted seeking its position on the issue.

Agreed: Members noted and agreed the revised draft forward work programme for the Committee’s forthcoming meetings.

  1. Chairperson’s Business

10.56am Ms Lo joined the meeting

Agreed: Members noted and agreed the proposed responses to a number of pieces of correspondence received by the Chairperson.

Members also noted a number of forthcoming out-of-committee meetings.

Agreed: Members agreed that consideration should be given to the possibility of holding a number of future meetings outside of Parliament Buildings.

  1. Committee Briefing from the Labour Relations Agency

The Committee received a briefing from the Labour Relations Agency representatives Pat McCartan, Chairman, Bill Patterson, Chief Executive, and Penny Holloway, Director of Conciliation and Arbitration, on the Agency’s statutory duty and changes in employment relations in recent years. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

11.30am Mr McClarty left the meeting
11.38am Mr Spratt left the meeting
11.39am Mr McClarty returned to the meeting

  1. Briefing from the National Union of Students / Union of Students in Ireland

The Committee received a briefing from the National Union of Students / Union of Students in Ireland representatives Gail Ferguson, Director, Katie Morgan, President, and David Fry, Education & Welfare Officer, on issues of concern to the NUS-USI. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

12.05pm Mr McCrea left the meeting

  1. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee noted the Statutory Rule “The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007 (S.R. 2007/340)”. The Rule was laid in the Assembly on 20 July 2007 and is subject to confirmatory resolution. The Committee also noted the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules. The Committee raised no objection to the Rule.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Employment and Learning has considered The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007 (S.R. 2007/340) and recommends that it be confirmed by the Assembly.”

The Committee further noted the following Statutory Rules that are subject to negative resolution and the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules:

The Committee raised no objection to the Rules.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Employment and Learning has considered the above listed Statutory Rules and has no objection to the rules.”

Companies (Cross Border Mergers) Regulations 2007

Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department on theCompanies (Cross Border Mergers) Regulations 2007 and agreed that the Chairperson write to the Minister indicating the Committee’s endorsement of the regulations.

Legislative Consent Motion – Amendment of Section 24 of the Education Act 1997

Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Minister to the Chairperson on the Amendment of Section 24 of the Education Act 1997 and agreed that the Chairperson write to the Minister indicating the Committee’s endorsement of the proposals.

  1. Departmental Press Notices

Members noted a number of Departmental press notices issued recently.

  1. Any Other Business

No other items of business were raised.

  1. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 3 rd October 2007 at 10.30am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.32pm.

Ms Sue Ramsey
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
3 October 2007

19 September 2007 / Menu