COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 4TH MARCH 2009
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Robin Newton MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Alex Attwood MLA
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Mr William Irwin MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
In Attendance: Mr Peter Hall (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Trevor Allen (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr Richard Keating (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Jessica Dougan (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA
The meeting opened at 10:05am in public session.
Apologies
Apologies are detailed above. Rev Dr Robert Coulter sent apologies as he was attending the funeral of the late James Leslie.
1. Minutes of the meetings held on 25th February 2009
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
2. Briefing from the University and College Union (UCU) on the INTO University Partnership and the Further Education Lecturers’ Pay Dispute
10:09am Mr Attwood joined the meeting
10:11am Mr Irwin joined the meeting
10:15am Mr Butler joined the meeting
The Committee received a briefing from Officials from the University and College Union (UCU): Renee Prendergast, UCU Branch Secretary at QUB, George Dunn, UCU at QUB, Julie McCaughan, Political Liaison Officer, and David Limb, Secretary of UCU NI HE Committee, on the INTO University Partnership and the Further Education Lecturers’ Pay Dispute. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
3. Briefing from the Law Centre (NI) on Workplace Dispute Resolution
The Committee received a briefing from representatives of the Law Centre (NI): Mark Beal, Policy Officer, Daire Murphy, Employment Advisor, and Caroline Maguire, Employment Advisor, on the Committee’s work on workplace dispute resolution. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
11:09am Mr Attwood left the meeting
11:29am Mr Attwood returned to the meeting
11:50am Mr Butler left the meeting
4. Briefing from Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) on the Committee’s investigation into the way forward for apprenticeships
11:57am Mr McClarty left the meeting
12:00pm Mr Butler returned to the meeting
The Committee received a briefing from Officials from Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE): Gordon Parkes, General Manager (Group Human Resources, Viridian Group Ltd.), Con Feeney, Training Manager (NIE), and Sara McClintock, Communications and Marketing Executive (NIE), on the Committee’s investigation into the way forward for apprenticeships. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
5. Matter Arising
Student Loan Repayment Threshold
Members noted various pieces of correspondence that relating to the threshold at which students begin to repay loans to the Student Loan Repayment Company. Members also noted a recent press article, published in the Belfast Telegraph on 27th February, on the issue and also information from the Student Loan Repayment Company’s website.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson write to the respective Committees in Westminster, the Welsh Assembly, and the Scottish Parliament seeking their views on the issue. Members also agreed that the Committee Office produces information on the possibility, and procedures involved, to take forward Committee legislation on the issue.
Subordinate Legislation
Statutory Rule - The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2009 (SR 2009/29)
The Committee noted the following Statutory Rule and the report of the Assembly’s Examiner of Statutory Rules:
- The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2009 (SR 2009/29)
The Committee raised no objection to the Rule.
Question put and agreed:
“That the Committee for Employment and Learning has considered the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2009 (SR 2009/29) and has no objection to the rule.”
SL1 - The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations (NI) 2009
Members noted the following item of subordinate legislation: The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations (NI) 2009.
Agreed: Members agreed that the views of the National Union of Students/Union of Students in Ireland (NUS/USI) and the University and College Union (UCU) be sought on the proposed Rule.
6. Chairperson’s Business
Members noted a number of items of correspondence and agreed responses. Members also noted a number of forthcoming meetings and events that the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson will attend.
7. Departmental Press Notices
Members noted a number of Departmental press notice issued recently.
8. Any Other Business
British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) – Committee Report
The Committee noted the BIPA Committee D (Environment and Social) Report on the Integration of recently arrived migrants to Northern Ireland, Ireland and Wales and agreed that the be further considered at the next meeting of the Committee.
Departmental update on the Research Assessment Exercise 2008
Members noted a Departmental update on the Research Assessment Exercise 2008 and raised no issue with the paper.
Revised Forward Work Programme – for information
Members noted the revised Forward Work Programme for the Committee.
Correspondence from the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges (ANIC)
Members noted correspondence from ANIC relating to the ongoing FE lecturers’ pay dispute.
Correspondence from NIPSA
Agreed: Members noted correspondence from NIPSA relating to the 2008 pay increases for non-lecturing staff in the Further Education sector and agreed that NIPSA brief the Committee on the issue.
Education and Training Inspectorate’s Report
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson write to the Minister seeking clarity on how the department will address the recommendations of the Education and Training Inspectorate’s “Survey of the Quality of the Provision for Construction Craft Training in Work Based Learning”.
1:00pm Mr Irwin and Mr Butler left the meeting
DEL/DE Review of Teacher Education
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson write to the Minister seeking clarification on the current situation regarding the joint DEL/DE Review of Teacher Education.
9. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 11th March 2009 at 10.00am in Room 135 Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1:02pm.