COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Wednesday, 21st May 2008
Room 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Jimmy Spratt MLA (Deputy Chairman)
Mr Alex Attwood MLA
Mr Paul Butler 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 Committee Clerk)
Mr Collan Cree (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Jessica Dougan (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Basil McCrea MLA
The meeting opened at 10:39am in public session.
Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 14th May 2008
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
2. Briefing from Disability Action on disability issues
10:50am Mr Attwood joined the meeting
The Committee received a briefing from representatives of Disability Action: Monica Wilson, Chief Executive of Disability Action, and Laura McCartney, Vocational Projects Manager, on disability issues. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
11:23am Mr McClarty left the meeting
3. Matters Arising
Members noted briefing papers from the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges (ANIC) on the FE lecturers’ pay dispute and from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers on PFI procurements issues.
Agreed: Members also noted a departmental update on the review of teacher education and correspondence from the Chairperson to the Minister on the proposed merger of Stranmillis University College with the Queen’s University of Belfast. The Committee agreed proposals to take the issue forward.
Agreed: The Chairperson updated Members on a meeting on 21 st May with the Local Strategic Partnership for the Derry City Council Area. Members agreed that a committee motion be considered at next week’s meeting on the issue of the European Social Fund.
11:55am The meeting moved into closed session
4. Further Consideration of Committee Findings on Training for Success
The Committee considered the Draft report on the scrutiny of Training for Success paragraph by paragraph. The Committee agreed the main body of the report:
Paragraphs 1 – 12, read and agreed;
Paragraph 13, read andagreed, subject to amendment;
Paragraphs 14 – 17, read andagreed;
Paragraph 18, read andagreed, subject to amendment;
Paragraphs 19 – 20, read andagreed;
Paragraph 21, read andagreed, subject to amendment;
Paragraphs 22 – 39, read andagreed;
Paragraph 40, read andagreed, subject to amendment;
Paragraphs 41 – 54, read andagreed;
Paragraph 55, read andagreed, subject to amendment;
Paragraphs 56 – 58, read andagreed;
Paragraph 59, read andagreed, subject to amendment;
Paragraphs 60 – 61, read andagreed;
Paragraph 62, read andagreed, subject to amendment.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the Executive Summary, subject to amendment;
Agreed: The Committee agreed the key conclusions and recommendations;
Agreed: The Committee agreed that Appendix 1 to 5 be included in the report;
Agreed: the Committee agreed that a committee motion be tabled seeking the Assembly’s approval of the report and that the report be embargoed until the Assembly debate.
5. Chairperson’s Business
Members noted a number of items of correspondence and agreed responses.
Members also noted a forthcoming meeting with the Minister for Social Development on 16 th June.
6. Any Other Business
No other items of business were raised.
7. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 28 th May 2008 at 10.30am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12:45pm.