HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS: THURSDAY, 5 APRIL 2001
ADELAIDE HOUSE, ADELAIDE STREET, BELFAST

Present: Dr Esmond Birnie (Chairman)
Mr Mervyn Carrick (Deputy Chairman)
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr John Dallat
Mr John Kelly
Prof Monica McWilliams
Mrs Mary Nelis

In Attendance: Dr Andrew C Peoples
Mr Colin Jones
Ms Anne Colville
Ms Catherine McGrattan

Apologies: Mr Joe Byrne
Mrs Joan Carson
Mr William Hay
Mr Roger Hutchinson

Meeting opened at 2.12pm in closed session.

1. Presentations from Departmental senior officials

Mr Alan Shannon, Permanent Secretary, Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, welcomed members and Committee staff to the Department's headquarters at Adelaide House. Senior officials then gave a number of presentations on:
the structure, remits and costs of divisions within the Department;
the Department's involvement in Welfare Reform;
the Public Expenditure and budget process; and
the Department's future work programme.

2.25pm. Prof McWilliams joined the meeting.
2.40pm. Mr Beggs joined the meeting.
3.35pm. Mr Kelly left the meeting.

2. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

3. Approval of draft minutes of 29 March 2001

Agreed. Proposed: Mr Dallat. Seconded: Mr Beggs.

4. Matters arising

Members considered the draft response to the consultation document "Building a Stronger Network: Developing the Role of National Training Organisations," along with the Department's written reply to questions arising from the recent evidence session. Members agreed that the Chairman should review the document before issue to meet the deadline of 12 April 2001.

Action: Clerk

Members directed the Clerk to ascertain when the report on the review of careers guidance would be made available. It was agreed that initial findings on the effectiveness of careers guidance arising from evidence taken as part of the Committee's Inquiry, should be forwarded to the Department for consideration.

Action: Clerk

Members agreed that the offer from the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges to host the Committee should be postponed until the autumn.

Action: Clerk

Members considered and debated a draft Forward Work Programme for after the Easter Recess in connection with the Committee's Inquiry into "Education and Training for Industry." Members agreed that postponed visits to Craigavon Borough Council and Newry and Mourne District Council should now be rearranged. Other witnesses should also be asked to give evidence at these meetings.

Action: Clerk

The previously postponed European study visit to Denmark should be rearranged for late June 2001, depending on the availability of the Committee's special Adviser, Dr Steedman and senior Danish officials.

Action: Clerk

Depending on the availability of potential witnesses and the restrictions on the number of session still available, the Clerk should seek to arrange oral evidence sessions with:
Moy Park
Forfás
an Institute of Technology in the Republic of Ireland
Education and Training Inspectorate
Northern Ireland Business Education Partnership
a representative from the retail trade
the Head of the Further Education division in DHFETE (this should not be scheduled until the Committee had received all the information requested from the Further Education Colleges)
representatives from the Women's Training Enterprise
BDO Stoy Hayward.

In addition, the Committee would ask for an update on recent initiatives from Departmental officials towards the end of the Inquiry.

Action: Clerk

The possible visits to BIFHE, CITB and Shorts Bombardier would be reviewed at the end of the Inquiry.

Action: Clerk

The Chairman informed members that the Sherrard Report had not yet been obtained from the North East Institute and five responses had so far been received from Further Education Colleges in response to the Committee's request for staffing information. Members agreed to review this after the Easter Recess to decide on the way forward.

The Committee agreed that a letter should be sent to the Public Accounts Committee, to advise on any recent work carried out by the Northern Ireland Audit Office within the remit of DHFETE, and whether any audits of Further Education Colleges were planned in the future.

Action: Clerk

Members agreed that the Chairman should meet with relevant journalists to raise the profile of the Inquiry. Dr Rosanne Cecil's contract should be extended to assist with the drafting of the initial report for the Inquiry, with Special Advisers producing specific papers if required and quality assuring the report at a later stage.

Action: Clerk

Members noted that, as previously agreed, the Finance and Personnel Committee had requested details of PFI/PPP projects from DHFETE.

6. Date and time of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Thursday, 26 April 2001 at 2.00pm in Room 152 Parliament Buildings, to include evidence form Departmental officials as part of the Committee stage of the Department for Learning and Employment Bill.

The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 4.30pm.

Dr Esmond Birnie
Chairman, Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment Committee

29 March 2001 / Menu / 26 April 2001