Present:
Mr Sydney Anderson MLA
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA
Mr Chris Lyttle MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA
Mr Peter Weir MLA

In Attendance:
Mr Peter Hall (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Nathan McVeigh (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Antoinette Bowen (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Mrs Dolores Kelly MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Bell MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr David McClarty MLA

The meeting opened in public session at 10.45 am.

Election of Chairperson

In the absence of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson, Mr Peter Weir moved the motion, “That Mr Pat Ramsey do take the chair of the committee”. The motion was seconded by Mr Chris Lyttle.

Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

1. Minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2010

Agreed: The minutes were agreed. 

2. Briefing from Newry Sports Partnership on supporting young people who are NEET

Malcolm Roberts briefed the Committee on the work of Newry Sports Partnership on intervention measures at pre-foundation level on learning and pathways to employment or further education for young people who are not in education, employment or learning. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

10.50 am Ms Sue Ramsey joined the meeting

11.23 am Rev Robert Coulter joined the meeting

11.25 am Mr Chris Lyttle and Mr Peter Weir left the meeting

3. Matters Arising

• Student Loans (Amendment) Bill

Members noted the above response from DEL in response to a Committee request for further information on the number of IVAs in Northern Ireland involving student loans

• Alternative Education Providers Forum (AEP)

Agreed: Members noted further details on the provision of alternative education in the greater Belfast area, supplied by AEP following their briefing to the Committee last week, and agreed to include this information in the NEETs Inquiry report

4. Chairperson’s Business

The Chairperson provided a brief outline of her attendance at forthcoming meetings and events, and drew members’ attention to various invitations.

11.28 am Mr Chris Lyttle rejoined the meeting

5. Departmental Press Notices

Agreed: Members noted a number of recent Departmental press releases, and agreed to consider further the work undertaken by the Knowledge Transfer project, Connected2

11.31 am Mr Peter Weir rejoined the meeting

6. Any Other Business

• Forward Work Programme – for information

Members noted the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for October and November 2010.

The Committee moved into closed session at 11.35 am

7. Consideration of Departmental responses to the NEETs Inquiry

Agreed: Members agreed that the Department of Justice should be invited to respond to the terms of the Inquiry, and that those departmental responses already received should be included in the Inquiry Report.

8. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 at 10.00 am in Room 29 Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.50 am

Mrs Dolores Kelly
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
13 October 2010

29 September 10 / Menu