Present:
Mrs Dolores Kelly MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Bell MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Sydney Anderson MLA
Mr David McClarty 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)
Miss Pauline Devlin (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Bill Kinnear (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA

The meeting opened in public session at 10.05 am.

Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

1. Briefing from USDAW on the “Respect for Shopworkers” Week

The Committee agreed to proceed with agenda item 2

David Williams, Michala Lafferty and Danielle McCusker, representatives of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), briefed the Committee on Respect for Shopworkers Week as part of its Freedom from Fear campaign which seeks to prevent physical and verbal abuse against Shopworkers. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

10.07 am Mrs Claire McGill joined the meeting
10.08 am Mr Peter Weir joined the meeting
10.13 am Mr Jonathan Bell joined the meeting
10.13 am Mr Sydney Anderson joined the meeting

Agreed: The Committee agreed to sponsor the launch of the Freedom from Fear campaign

Agreed: Members further agreed to bring a motion to the Assembly in support of this campaign

10.47 am Mr Pat Ramsey left the meeting
10.47 am Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting

2. Minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2010

The Committee agreed to return to agenda item 1.

Agreed: The minutes were agreed.

3. Matters Arising

• FE Colleges Buildings

Agreed: Members considered a response from CollegesNI to their request for further information of the condition of buildings within the estate of Further Education colleges, and agreed to defer further consideration on this issue

• Quinn Redundancies

Agreed: The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Trade and Enterprise and from the Department, together with the report of Mr Leslie Ross into the situation regarding redundancies at Quinn Insurance, and agreed to defer further consideration

• Browne Report: Implications for the Open University – Assembly Research paper

Agreed: The Committee agreed to include this paper in its consideration of the Browne Report on Student Fees and Finance at its meeting on 1 December 2010

10.49 am Ms Sue Ramsey rejoined the meeting

• Success through Skills 2

Agreed: Members considered a draft response to the above consultation and agreed that it should be forwarded to the Department.

• Proposed redundancies at Belfast Metropolitan College

Members noted a response from the College to the Committee’s correspondence on proposed redundancies.

10.52 am Mr Pat Ramsey rejoined the meeting

• Response from the Minister

The Committee noted information provided by the Minister in response to Committee queries raised at the meeting at Magee College on 20 October 2010.

• University drop-out rates

Agreed: Members noted a press report on the high drop-out rate at university after the first year of study, and agreed to return to this issue at a later date

4. Briefing from the Northern Ireland Skills Advisor on his recent Reports

Mr Bill McGinnis, Northern Ireland Advisor on Employment and Skills, and Deirdre McGill from the Office of the Northern Ireland Advisor on Employment and Skills, briefed the Committee on the key points of the reports into the Improved Engagement of SMEs, Recovering the Unemployed and Economically Inactive, and Improved leadership and Management.

11.09 am Ms Sue Ramsey left the meeting
11.23 am Mr David McClarty left the meeting

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Minister for an update on the progress of the implementation of the recommendations contained within the reports

11.35 Mr Jonathan Bell left the meeting

5. Employment (No. 2) Clause by Clause scrutiny

The Committee agreed to proceed with agenda item 6

The Committee completed its formal clause-by-clause scrutiny of the above Bill and agreed the following:

Clause 1 – Repeal of statutory grievance procedures

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 1 as drafted”

11.40 am Mr Jonathan Bell rejoined the meeting

Clause 2 – Statutory dispute resolution procedures: effect on contracts of employment

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 2 as drafted”

Clause 3 – Statutory dispute resolution procedures: consequential adjustment of time

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 3 as drafted”

11.41 Ms Sue Ramsey rejoined the meeting

Clause 4 – Non-compliance with statutory Codes of Practice

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 4 as drafted”

Clause 5 – Determination of industrial tribunal proceedings without hearing

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 5 as drafted”

Clause 6 – Restriction of publicity

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 6 as drafted”

Clause 7 – Enforcement of sums payable

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 7 as drafted”

Clause 8 – Conciliation before bringing of proceedings

Question put:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 8 as drafted”

The Committee divided: Ayes 5; Noes 0; Abstentions 2.

The question was accordingly agreed.

11.59 am Mr Peter Weir left the meeting

Clause 9 – Conciliation after bringing of proceedings

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 9 as drafted”

Clause 10 – Recovery of sums payable under compromises involving the Agency

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 10 as drafted”

Clause 11 – Powers of Fair Employment Tribunal in relation to matters within jurisdiction of industrial tribunals

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 11 as drafted”

Clause 12 – Conciliation before bringing of proceedings

Question put:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 12 as drafted”

The Committee divided: Ayes 4; Noes 0; Abstentions 2.

The question was accordingly agreed.

Clause 13 – Conciliation after bringing of proceedings

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 13 as drafted”

Clause 14 – Recovery of sums payable under compromises involving the Agency

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 14 as drafted”

12.06 am Mr Peter Weir rejoined the meeting

Clause 15 – Time off for study or training

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 15 as drafted”

Clause 16 - Repeals

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 16 as drafted”

Clause 17 - Commencement

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 17 as drafted”

Clause 18 – Short title

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Clause 18 as drafted”

Schedule 1 - Repeal of statutory grievance procedures: consequential amendments

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Schedule 1 as drafted”

Schedule 2 - Schedule inserted as Schedule 4A to the Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Schedule 2 as drafted”

Schedule 3 - Time off for study or training, Part 1: Provisions inserted as Part 7A of the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Schedule 3 Part 1 as drafted”

Schedule 3 - Time off for study or training, Part 2: Related amendments to employment law

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Schedule 3 Part 2 as drafted”

Schedule 4 – Repeals

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with Schedule 4 as drafted”

Long Title

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee is content with the Long Title as drafted”

6. Correspondence

The Committee agreed to return to agenda item 5.

Members noted a number of items of correspondence and agreed responses.

12.13 pm Mr Pat Ramsey left the meeting

7. Subordinate Legislation

SL1 – The Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010

The Committee considered the above proposal and was content for the Department to proceed to make the Statutory Rule.

SR 2010 No. 361 – The Public Interest (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010

12.17 pm Mr Pat Ramsey rejoined the meeting

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Employment and Learning has considered SR 2010 No. 361 – The Public Interest (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010, and recommends that it be annulled by the Assembly”

8. Chairperson’s Business

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

9. Departmental Press Notices

Members noted a number of recent Departmental press releases

10. Any Other Business

Uptake of the Erasmus programme

Agreed : The Committee considered correspondence from the OFMDFM Committee on the Erasmus programme and agreed to follow up on the issue of internships with the Department

Implications of the Spending Review

Members noted a Hansard transcript of the above evidence session at the meeting of the Finance and Personnel Committee, which was forwarded by that Committee for information

Forward Work Programme

Agreed : Members noted the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for November and December 2010, and in particular arrangements for the planned visit to the Automotive Academy at Mallusk on 8 December 2010

11. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 24 November 2010 at 10.00 am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Building

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.28 pm

Mrs Dolores Kelly
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
24 November 2010

10 November 10 / Menu