COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS:
THURSDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2001
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Dr Esmond Birnie MLA (Chairman)
Mr Mervyn Carrick MLA (Deputy Chairman)
Mr Roy Beggs MLA
Mr Joe Byrne MLA
Mr John Dallat MLA
Mr Roger Hutchinson MLA
Prof Monica McWilliams MLA

In Attendance: Dr Andrew C Peoples
Mr Colin Jones
Mr Michael Meehan
Mr Paul Stitt

Apologies: Mrs Joan Carson MLA
Mrs Mary Nelis MLA

Meeting opened at 2.30pm in open session.

1. Apologies
   Apologies are detailed above.

2. Draft Minutes of 11 December 2001
   Agreed. Proposed: Mr Dallat. Seconded: Mr Beggs.

3. Matters Arising

Mr Dallat requested that the record of members' attendance at meetings of the Committee for Employment and Learning for the session to date should be summarised for the next meeting.

Action: Clerk

4. Correspondence

Members noted the Department for Employment and Learning's (DEL) response to the Committee's submission to the consultation on a Victims' Strategy.

Members noted information from DEL on the current review of accommodation in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. It was also noted that an interim report had not yet been received from the Committee for Finance and Personnel.

Members noted DEL's draft Service Delivery Agreement and the closing date for a response of 31 January 2002. The Clerk was directed to review the information for the Committee's consideration at the next meeting.

Action: Clerk

Members noted further information requested by Mr Beggs from the Law Centre (Northern Ireland) concerning the Routes to Resolution consultation document.

Members considered information from the Minister in relation to the salary costs of management grades and lecturers in further education. It was agreed that further clarification was needed and that, in addition, information should be requested on how the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (Regulations) 1981, applied to the further education sector.

Action: Clerk

Members considered the Terms of Reference for the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment's Inquiry into 'Tourism in Northern Ireland.' It was agreed that the Committee would not make a written submission to the Inquiry, but would request early sight of any recommendations within their remit. The request for information from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment would be forwarded to DEL.

Action: Clerk

5. Briefing from Individual Learning Account Providers

Members were briefed by Mrs M Irvine, Operations Manager, Belfast Centre for Learning and Mr B Rouse, Principal and Chief Executive of Fermanagh College on the effects of the Minister's recent decision to discontinue the provision of Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs). Prior to the briefing, Mr Beggs declared an interest as he had opened an Individual Learning Account, but had not activated it before the scheme was closed. The following issues were debated: -

• the effects of the decision on both providers and members of the public wishing to take up learning opportunities;

• ways in which the scheme could be improved, including clear audit trails from enrolment to completion, pro-rata (staged) payment arrangements and closer working relationships between all those involved;

• local management of the entire process;

• approval of and auditing arrangements for providers of ILAs;

• the inefficiencies of the management information system used in the scheme;

• the financial contributions made to the scheme by employers; and

• how the scheme could have been made more effective in rural areas and better targeted at those most in need.

3.30pm Mr Hutchinson joined the meeting.

Following the briefing, members debated and agreed the contents of a further letter to the Minister seeking further clarification and information on ILAs.

Action: Clerk

It was also agreed that the Chairman would write to the Minister raising the problems caused by participants being unable to meet the Key Skills requirements that were currently stipulated as part of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) Levels 2 and 3.

Action: Clerk

6. Any Other Business

It was agreed that the results of the equality screening exercises currently being carried out in the further education sector should be requested from the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges (ANIC). These would then be held in the Committee Office for members' consultation.

Action: Clerk

7. Date and Time of Next Meeting

On Thursday 10 January 2002 at 2.00pm in Room 152 Parliament Buildings.

The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 3.45pm.

Dr Esmond Birnie, MLA
Chairman, Committee for Employment and Learning
10 January 2002

11 December 2001 / Menu / 10 January 2002