COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING
Minutes of Proceedings
WEDNESDAY, 10th OCTOBER 2007
Room 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Jimmy Spratt MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Alex Attwood MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr David McClarty 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:
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Basil McCrea MLA
The meeting opened at 10:34am in public session.
Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
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Minutes of the meeting held on 3 rd October 2007
Agreed: The draft minutes were agreed.
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Matters Arising
Members noted a Departmental paper, requested at the Committee meeting on 4 th July, on teacher education in Northern Ireland.
Members were updated on statistics requested in relation to the University of Ulster Campus at Magee and on the scheduling of a Departmental budget briefing in November.
Members also noted additional information received from Ulster Supported Employment Ltd (USEL) and the Skills for Business Network.
10:37am Mr Newton joined the meeting
10:38am Mr Attwood joined the meeting
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Chairperson’s Business
Agreed: Members noted and agreed responses to a number of pieces of correspondence received by the Chairperson and noted a number of pieces of correspondence from the Chairperson.
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Departmental Evidence Session from DEL’s Quality and Performance Branch on its Quality Improvement Strategy
The Committee received evidence from the Departmental representatives Catherine Bell, Deputy Secretary, and Nuala Kerr, Director of Skills and Industry Division, on developments in relation to the Department’s contracting arrangements in relation to the Training for Success Programme and on the Department’s Quality Improvement Strategy. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
11:26am Mr McClarty left the meeting
11:36am Mr McClarty returned to the meeting
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Briefing from NI Assembly’s Research Services on its Research Paper – “Overview of Skills Training Providers and Strategies”
The Committee received a briefing NI Assembly Research Services representative Peter McClenaghan, Research Officer, on his research paper – “Overview of Skills Training Providers and Strategies”. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
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Briefing from NI Assembly’s Research Services on its Research Paper – “OECD Education Statistics, Educational Attainment and problems associated with NI comparisons”
11:51am Mr McClarty left the meeting
The Committee received a briefing NI Assembly Research Services representative Dr Robert Barry, Senior Research Officer, on his research paper – “OECD Education Statistics, Educational Attainment and problems associated with NI comparisons”. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
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Committee Monitoring and Scrutiny of the Training for Success Programme
The Committee noted a letter from the Chairperson to the Minister formalising the Committee’s monitoring and scrutiny programme and a letter from the Minister to the Chairperson on the suspension of trading of Carter and Carter shares.
Agreed: The Committee agreed a draft press release on the proposed monitoring and scrutiny work programme be issued.
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Departmental Press Notices
Members noted Departmental press notices issued recently.
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Any Other Business
No other items of business were raised.
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Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 17 th October 2007 at 10.30am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12:10pm.