Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 9th SEPTEMBER 2009
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA

In Attendance:
Mr Peter Hall (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Trevor Allen (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr Andy Cooper (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Bill Kinnear (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr William Irwin MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA

The meeting opened at 10.01am in public session

Members welcomed Mr Thomas Buchanan as Deputy Chairperson to the Committee.

Members extended their appreciation to Dr Aideen McGinley for her work with the Committee during her time as Permanent Secretary. Members also wished Catherine Bell well in her new role as Acting Permanent Secretary.

Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

1. Declarations of Interest

Members noted declarations of interest from Mr Buchanan and Mr Ramsey.

2. Minutes of the meetings held on 1 st July 2009
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
3. Departmental Briefing on the September Monitoring Round

Members welcomed Andrew Hamilton to his new role as Deputy Secretary to the Department and also wished the outgoing Deputy Secretary, Greg McConnell, well in his retirement.

The Committee received a briefing from Departmental Officials: Andrew Hamilton, Deputy Secretary, and Trevor Connolly, Director of Finance and European Division, on the Department’s September Monitoring submission to the Department of Finance and Personnel. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

4. Primary Legislation – Employment Bill

Members noted a revised timeline for the Committee Stage of the Employment Bill and also noted the Hansard transcript on the Second Stage of the Bill on 30 th July and a number of items of correspondence from the Minister detailing proposed amendments to the Bill that will be tabled in the Assembly following the Committee Stage.

Agreed: Members agreed to consider the proposed amendments at the Committee meeting on 16 th September; to take forward the Committee’s clause by clause scrutiny of the Bill at that meeting; and to consider a tabling a motion to the Assembly for the extension of the Committee Stage from 12 th October to 26 th October.

5. Departmental Consultations

Members noted the following Departmental consultation documents:

Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer this item of business to the meeting on 16 th September for further consideration.

6. Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)

The Committee thanked the Department for pushing forward publication of the Review of the CITB and noted the content of the Review report.

The Committee noted the following Statutory Rule that is subject to negative resolution and the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules:

The Committee raised no objection to the Rule.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Employment and Learning has considered the Industrial Training Levy (Construction Industry) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 (SR 2009/271) and has no objection to the rule.”

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Minister seeking further information on the merger of the CITB with ConstructionSkills, as recommended in the Review.

7. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee noted the following item of subordinate legislation:

The Committee also noted the following Statutory Rule that is subject to negative resolution and the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules:

The Committee raised no objection to the Rule.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Employment and Learning has considered the Steps to Work (Miscellaneous Provisions) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 (SR 2009/297) and has no objection to the rule.”

8. Matter Arising

Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee Office draft a response to the OFMdFM Committee addressing the issues raised by Members and that the Committee Office takes forward the issues pertaining to the remit of the Committee and the Department.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister requesting the Department’s quarterly report to OFMdFM / DFP on progress towards achieving its PSA targets.

Members noted the above papers from the Department.

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Social Development Committee requesting the outcome of the consultation when available.

Agreed: Members noted papers from the Social Development Committee on the Welfare Reform Bill 2009 and agreed to defer the issue to the meeting on 16 th September for further consideration.

Agreed: Members noted papers from the Department on the above strategy and agreed to keep the issue under consideration as it progresses.

Members noted a number of items of correspondence from the Department in relation to the Northern Ireland Education Bill.

Members noted the above response from Disability Action to the Welfare Reform Bill.

Members noted the above correspondence from the Minister to Stranmillis University College.

9. Chairperson’s Business

Members noted a number of items of correspondence and agreed responses. Members were also updated on a number of recent meetings held by the Chairperson.

10. Departmental Press Notices

Members noted a number of Departmental press notice issued recently.

11. Published Press Articles

Members noted a number of press articles published during the summer recess.

12. Any Other Business

Agreed: Members agreed that a draft response be prepared by the Committee for Committee approval prior to the deadline of 23 rd October.

Agreed: Members noted the above paper and agreed to raise any concerns at a future meeting of the Committee.

Members noted the above paper from the Department.

Agreed: Members noted the above consultation document and agreed to raise any concerns at a future meeting of the Committee.

Agreed: Members noted the above report and agreed that a the Committee Office draft a response for Committee approval prior to the deadline of 1 st October.

Members noted the above paper from the Department.

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the University of Ulster expressing concerns around the proposal to close the crèche facility and also to request information on the associated Equality Impact Assessment. Members also agreed to table a Committee motion on the wider issue of crèche facilities at further and higher educational institutions.

Agreed: The Committee considered the 2008-09 End of Session report and agreed the content on the report.

Members noted the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for the period of September to December 2009.

Members noted correspondence from the NUS-USI on its campaign to end violence against women and to defer the matter to the meeting on 16 th September for further consideration.

Agreed: Members noted the above correspondence and agreed to receive a briefing on the issues raised.

Agreed: Mr McClarty discussed an issue of concern relating to a Departmental programme that had been raised by a constituent. The Committee agreed to write to the Department on the issue.

Agreed: Mr Buchanan raised concerns over the proposed closure of the German language department at Queen’s University and the Committee agreed to receive a briefing on the issue by teachers and lecturers affected by the closure.

Members noted an invitation from the Rural Community Network to attend the “Enabling the Future by Considering the Past” consultation and networking event.

Members noted the above invitation from Queen’s University and the Sustainable Development Commission NI.

Members noted the above invitation from the Northern Ireland Adviser on Employment and Skills and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

Agreed: Members noted correspondence in relation to the publication of their attendance at Committee meetings on the Assembly website and agreed to raise any issues with the Committee Office.

13. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 16 th September at 10.00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11:40am.

Ms Sue Ramsey
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
16 th September 2009

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