MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS: THURSDAY 13 JUNE 2002,
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Dr Esmond Birnie MLA (Chairman)
Mr Mervyn Carrick MLA (Deputy Chairman)
Dr Ian Adamson MLA
Mr John Dallat MLA
Mr Arthur Doherty MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Mr Roger Hutchinson MLA
Prof Monica McWilliams MLA
Mrs Mary Nelis MLA

In Attendance: Dr Andrew Peoples
Mr Colin Jones
Mr Paul Stitt

Apologies: Mrs Joan Carson MLA

Apologies are detailed above.

Agreed as amended. Proposed: Mr Doherty. Seconded: Mr Dallat.

Agreed as amended. Proposed: Mr Doherty. Seconded: Mr Carrick.

None.

Members considered correspondence from the Minister on the Department for Employment and Learning's (DEL's) business planning process and seeking approval not to respond to the individual issues raised in the Committee's submissions on the draft Service Delivery Agreement and draft Annual Business Plan 2002/03. The Committee agreed not to follow up on these issues, but noted that the Minister had committed to forwarding the information requested by the Committee in its submission on the draft SDA, which had been requested on 18 April 2002.

Members considered information from DEL on why the evaluation of the pilot of the ONE service had been extended for a further year until March 2003, together with the interim report of the evaluation. Members noted that decisions on rollout were currently under consideration by the Department and agreed to return to this area.

Members considered a response from the Minister to queries raised by the Committee regarding JobCentre Online and agreed to follow up on those queries which had not been addressed.

Members considered the report of the Review Panel on 'Education and R&D in Agriculture and Food Science' and debated those recommendations which were within, or overlapping with DEL's responsibility for teaching and research. The Clerk was directed to draft a response for consideration at the next meeting.

Members considered a paper from the National Union of Students-Union of Students in Ireland (NUS-USI) on student finance and agreed to seek further details on the financial implications of their proposals.

Members also agreed to seek the Minister's views on the paper and to ask for the Department's forecast of the number of students who will benefit from the new bursaries to be introduced in Autumn 2002. Additionally, it was agreed to ask the Minister whether the issue of student finance had ever been discussed at a British-Irish Council meeting.

Members noted the response from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment on the Essential Skills for Living consultation document.

Members noted the Executive's Position Report on 'Developing the Programme for Government and the Budget for 2003/04' and agreed to debate this at next week's meeting.

Members considered those recommendations from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure's Report on 'Cultural Tourism and the Arts in Northern Ireland,' which were within the remit of DEL. Members had no objections to the creation of a cultural heritage regional training organisation, providing that no duplication was created with existing bodies. The Clerk was directed to inform the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure.

Members noted an invitation from the Committee for Education to forward views on the Review of Post Primary Education. It was agreed to return to this area and to agree a response to meet the deadline of 28 June 2002.

Members noted that the Committee was still awaiting a written brief from DEL on this subject, which had been requested on 24 May 2002.

Members considered correspondence raising concerns at discrimination against males by employers in the North Down area. It was agreed to ask for a response from DEL and to reply, highlighting the fact that the comparatively low number of females on the unemployment register in the area could be partly explained by the fact that married women do not often register as unemployed.

Members noted the public consultation launched by the Executive on 'Financing Our Future,' in relation to public investment. Given the substantial capital backlog in both the higher and further education sectors, the Clerk was directed to undertake background work over the summer recess and it was agreed that the Committee would return to this subject in September 2002 and agree a response to meet the deadline of 20 September 2002.

Members noted the following correspondence:

• the NUS-USI's response to the 'Healing through Remembering' project;
• the NUS-USI's response to the Department for Social Development's Consultation on the draft Housing Bill 2002; and
• a paper from Assembly Research drawing comparisons between the Northern Ireland Budget document and the Northern Ireland Estimates for 2002/03 for DEL.

Members considered DEL's response to queries raised by the Committee on the pre-draft Statutory Rule under the Education (Student Support) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, which the Committee had previously considered on 9 May 2002.

It was agreed that the Committee should review the effects of this piece of legislation at the end of the first term of the 2002/03 academic year.

Members were content with the policy implications of the proposed legislation.

Members noted the Report by the Federation of Small Businesses 'Lifting the Barriers to Growth in UK Small Businesses,' and the written memoranda provided for the evidence session.

Members were briefed by Mr W Mitchell, Mr D Munster and Mr G Roberts from the Federation of Small Businesses. Following an introductory presentation, the following issues were debated with members:

• the issue of small businesses being used by the government as 'unpaid tax collectors;'
• the disruption to small businesses caused by the increasing rights for employees to be absent from work;
• whether the Employment Bill may have potentially negative effects on recruitment;
• the negative impact of flexible working on the work-life balance of the remaining workers;
• whether the Bill should differentiate between large and small employers;
• the positive effects of past employment legislation on pay differentials between males and females and staff retention; and
• whether the financial compensation arrangements contained in the Bill were sufficient.

The Committee debated the proposed merger of the Northern Ireland Hotel and Catering College with the University of Ulster. Following the debate, it was proposed by Mr Carrick and seconded by Mr Dallat that:

The question was put and the motion was negatived as detailed below.

The Committee divided: Ayes 4; Noes 5.

Ayes: Mr Carrick; Mr Dallat; Mr Doherty and Mrs Nelis.

Noes: Dr Adamson; Dr Birnie; Mr Hilditch; Mr Hutchinson and Prof McWilliams.

Abstentions: None.

On Thursday 20 June 2002 at 2.00pm in Room 152 Parliament Buildings, to include evidence from the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on the Employment Bill.

11 June 2002 / Menu / 20 June 2002