Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Wednesday, 5th MARCH 2008
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Jimmy Spratt MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Alex Attwood MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mr Basil McCrea 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)
Ms Jessica Dougan (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA

The meeting opened at 10:34am in public session.

  1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

Departmental briefing on “A Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Strategy for Northern Ireland”

The Committee received a briefing from Departmental Officials: Nuala Kerr, Director of Skills & Industry Division, and Judith Shaw, Careers & Guidance Services Branch, on the Department’s consultation responses. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

Agreed: Members agreed that a draft Committee response to the strategy be prepared for submission to the Department.

  1. Minutes of the meeting held on 27 th February 2008

Agreed: The draft minutes were agreed.

  1. Any Other Business

Members noted that James McCusker has been appointed as Chairperson of the Labour Relations Agency.

Agreed: Members agreed that final Hansard transcripts of evidence sessions relating to the Committee’s scrutiny of the Training for Success programme be published on the Committee’s website.

Members noted a paper from the Department detailing its reduced requirements in the February monitoring round.

Members noted and discussed correspondence from the Minister updating Members on the current position in relation to the FE Lecturers’ Pay Dispute.

11:44am The Chairperson adjourned the meeting
12.24pm The meeting resumed in closed session
12:24pm Mr Newton joined the meeting

  1. Training for Success – Update on Contracting

The Committee received a briefing from Departmental Officials: Dr Aideen McGinley, Permanent Secretary, Catherine Bell, Deputy Secretary, and Nuala Kerr, Director of Skills & Industry Division, on contracting issues relating to the Training for Success programme. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

1:29pm Mr Spratt left the meeting

  1. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 12 th March 2008 at 10.30am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1:34pm.

Ms Sue Ramsey
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
12 March 2008

27 February 08 / Menu