COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 11TH MARCH 2009
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Robin Newton MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Mr William Irwin MLA
Ms Anna Lo 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:
Mr Alex Attwood MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
The meeting opened at 10:10am in public session.
Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
1. Minutes of the meetings held on 4 th March 2009
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
2. Briefing from the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils (ASSC) on the Committee’s investigation into the way forward for apprenticeships
10.25am Mr Irwin joined the meeting
The Committee received a briefing from Officials from the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils (ASSC): Lawrence Downey, Northern Ireland Manager of the ASSC, and Tory Kerley, National Manager of Skillsmart Retail, on the Committee’s investigation into the way forward for apprenticeships. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
3. Briefing from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) on the Committee’s investigation into the way forward for apprenticeships
The Committee received a briefing from Deirdre Stewart, Assistant Director of the CBI Northern Ireland, on the Committee’s investigation into the way forward for apprenticeships. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
4. Legislation
Departmental briefing on the Legislative Consent Motion on Apprenticeships, Children, Skills and Learning Bill
The Committee received a briefing from Departmental Officials: Nick Gibson, Learning & Curriculum Policy Branch, and Daryl Young, FE Programmes Branch, on the Department’s proposed Legislative Consent Motion on the devolved provisions of the Apprenticeships, Children, Skills and Learning Bill. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to endorse the proposed Legislative Consent Motion to the Assembly and also agreed to endorse the Department’s policy proposal to exclude student loans from Individual Voluntary Agreements (IVAs).
Statutory Rules Laid
The Committee noted the following Statutory Rule and the report of the Assembly’s Examiner of Statutory Rules:
- Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 (SR 2009/45)
11.16am Mr Newton left the meeting
The Committee noted the following Statutory Rule and the report of the Assembly’s Examiner of Statutory Rules:
- Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (SR 2009/37)
The Committee raised no objection to the Rule.
Question put and agreed:
“That the Committee for Employment and Learning has considered the Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (SR 2009/37) and has no objection to the rule.”
SL1s
The Committee noted and was content with the following items of subordinate legislation:
- The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations (NI) 2009
- Further Education (Student Support) (Eligibility) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009
- Steps to Work (Miscellaneous Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009
The Committee also noted and was content with the following item of subordinate legislation proposed by the Department for Social Development:
- The Social Security (Steps to Work) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009
11.19am Mr Newton returned to the meeting
5. Matter Arising
Re-employment of lecturers who have taken redundancy packages
Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Minister on the re-employment of Further Education lecturers who had been prematurely retired on grounds of redundancy and agreed to seek further clarity from the Minister on the issue.
Eligibility of teachers trained in NI to teach in the Republic of Ireland
Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Minister for Education on the eligibility of teachers trained in Northern Ireland to teach in the Republic of Ireland and agreed to forward the correspondence to St. Mary’s and Stranmillis University colleges.
Follow-up information from the Education and Training Inspectorate
Members noted follow-up information from the Education and Training Inspectorate highlighting good practice in apprenticeships.
British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) – Committee D Report
Agreed: Members noted the BIPA Committee D (Environmental and Social) Report on the integration of recent migrants in Wales and Ireland and agreed that a Committee response supporting the recommendations of the Report be forwarded to the OFMdFM Committee .
Student loan repayment threshold – potential for Committee to legislate
Members were updated on the potential for the Committee to legislate in relation to an uplift of the earnings threshold for repayment of student loans and noted that this was not possible.
6. Chairperson’s Business
Members noted a number of items of correspondence and agreed responses. Members also noted 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
Department of Education press release “Education Minister opens first STEM event”
Agreed: Members noted a press release issued on 4 th March and agreed to write to the Ministers for Education and Employment and Learning expressing the Committee’s concern that Members of their respective Committees did not receive invitations to attend the event.
Scheduling Departmental briefing on the Committee’s First Report on Training for Success
Agreed: Members agreed to an additional Committee meeting on 24 th March at 11.00am to receive a Departmental briefing on its response to the Committee’s First Report on Training for Success.
Revised Forward Work Programme – for information
Members noted the revised Forward Work Programme for the Committee.
Ministerial Statement: Response to the economic downturn
The Committee expressed its disappointment that the Minister’s statement of 10 th March on the economic downturn did not bring forward any new developments or announcements.
9. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 18 th March 2009 at 10.30am at South Eastern Regional College, Bangor Campus.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11:38am.