The Northern Ireland Assembly - Written Answers to Questions: Friday 26 July 2002

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Friday 26 July 2002
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Enrolments on FE level courses at Lisburn Institute of Further and Higher Education: 1999/2000

Subject Area	Full-Time	Part-Time	Total
Administration & Office Skills	19	291	310
Art & Design	38	21	59
Business & Management	150	39	189
Construction, Built Environment & Civil Engineering	104	117	221
Distribution - Retail, Wholesaling & Warehousing	3	-	3
Electrical / Electronic Engineering	7	87	94
Hairdressing & Beauty	67	150	217
Health & Social Care	100	147	247
Hospitality	119	45	164
Information & Communication Technology	106	276	382
Mechanical Engineering	126	169	295
Motor Vehicle	12	40	52
Media & communication	-	35	35
Applied Science	98	284	382
Education	38	276	314
Agriculture	-	13	13
Manufacturing / Processing	7	38	45
Transport	-	7	7
Total	994	2,035	3,029

Note: figures relate to a snapshot of enrolments at 1st November 1999. Source: FESR

Enrolments on FE level courses at Lisburn Institute of Further and Higher Education: 2000/01

Subject Area	Full-Time	Part-Time	Total
Administration & Office Skills	10	271	281
Art & Design	47	5	52
Business & Management	137	68	205
Construction, Built Environment & Civil Engineering	130	42	172
Electrical / Electronic Engineering	-	28	28
Hairdressing & Beauty	75	155	230
Health & Social Care	99	130	229
Hospitality	71	63	134
Information & Communication Technology	115	523	638
Leisure Tourism & Recreational	55	9	64
Mechanical Engineering	160	92	252
Motor Vehicle	8	30	38
Media & communication	-	16	16
Applied Science	61	312	373
Education	36	482	518
Agriculture	-	13	13
Manufacturing / Processing	95	11	106
Transport	-	18	18
Total	1,099	2,268	3,367

Note: figures relate to a snapshot of enrolments at 1st November 2000. Source: FESR

Community Relations Programmes: Expenditure

Dr Birnie asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to outline (a) the amount of money spent on community relation programmes in each of the last 3 years; and (b) what assessment she can make in relation to the effectiveness of such expenditure.

(AQW 4333/01)

Ms Hanna: Under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 public authorities are required, in carrying out all their functions, to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations. DEL is committed to fulfilling this duty.

The Department has taken action to address issues of cultural diversity in the FE sector, and there are significant community relations aspects to the Department’s EU functions, the Walsh Visa Programme and the IFI’s Wider Horizons Programme. Details are as follows.

Cultural diversity in the FE sector

In February 2001 DEL established a Cultural Diversity Working Group for the FE sector. The Working Group is chaired by a Grade 7 official and its terms of reference include the preparation of a Good Practice Guide which addresses issues of cultural diversity and includes advice on the preparation of college policy statements and exemplar case studies. The Group has appointed a part-time Research and Development Officer and commissioned him to research work in this area, consider the relevant legislation, draft the Good Practice Guide, make recommendations on staff development needs and identify resource implications etc. The draft report is due to be presented to the Working Group in August, and DEL will then decide how to take forward the Good Practice Guide with the sector.

To date the Department has spent £3k on this initiative. It is too early to give an assessment of its effectiveness.

EU programmes

In 2000 and 2001 DEL administered over £22 million expenditure under EUSSPPR (‘PEACE 1’). A breakdown by Measure and by IFB is attached.

In addition, in 2001 DEL established the EQUAL Community Initiative. Theme I of EQUAL is designed to assist the integration of asylum seekers on a UK-wide basis. In Northern Ireland the lead partner is the NI Council for Ethnic Minorities.

EU-funded projects have to be evaluated in accordance with EU regulations, and the SEUPB will produce a closure report on Peace 1 projects. An evaluation process for EQUAL has just begun.

Walsh Visas

The Irish Peace Process Cultural & Training Programme (Walsh Visa Programme) aims to improve participants’ employability and includes training and personal development to promote tolerance and respect for differences. This part of the programme has been developed by George Mason University. The desired outcomes of this training for participants are improved communication, problem-solving and co-operation skills.

The programme costs are as follows:

2000 / 2001	£103,385
2001 / 2002	£703,494
2002 / 2003	£601,480

Following the interim evaluation of the Programme, the Department will commission a longitudinal study of participants’ experience of the Programme and their progress on completion of the Programme. The report of this study will be made available to the Employment and Learning Committee in due course.

IFI Wider Horizons

The Wider Horizons Programme (WHP) seeks to improve the employability of disadvantaged young people in NI, the border counties of ROI and parts of Dublin. WHP is funded by IFI and administered by DEL and FÁS. DEL and FÁS contribute financially in the form of training allowances.

IFI has primary responsibility for evaluating the effectiveness of WHP, including its impact on community relations. (Please see table on following page page).

Credit Cards

Mrs Nelis asked the Minister for Employment and Learning to detail (a) the number of credit cards in use in (i) her Department, (ii) Executive Agencies of her Department, (iii) NDPBs of her Department, (iv) any other Agency or Body funded by her Department; and (b) the amount spent on each credit card in each of the last 4 financial years.

(AQW 4474/01)

Ms Hanna: There are currently no credit cards held by this Department.

One Government Procurement card was used by my Department between May 2000 and October 2001. The expenditure was as follows;

Financial Year	Expenditure
1999 – 2000	Nil
2000 – 2001	£125,830.47
2001 – 2002	£23,156.30

My Department’s Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) which use credit cards and expenditure in each financial year since devolution are as follows;

Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
1999 – 2000	1	£17,106
2000 – 2001	1	£7,747
2001 – 2002	1	£8,351

Labour Relations Agency (LRA)

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
Dec.1999 – 2000	2	£617.71
2000 – 2001	2	£4,007.91
2001 – 2002	2	£1,442.36

Ulster Supported Employment Limited (USEL)

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
1999 – 2000	1	£6,518
2000 – 2001	1	£5,211
2001 – 2002	13	£16,042

PEACE I EXPENDITURE SUMMARY FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS

Sub-programme

Measure

2000

DEL

Proteus

Playboard

TWN

EGSA

NIVT

Invest NI

Employment

Boosting Growth and Retraining for Peace

1.1

£0.424121

£1.948582

£1.346052

£0.499612

£4.218367

Employment

Action for Jobs

1.2

£0.667530

£3.908621

£0.816144

£5.392295

Employment

Improving the Accessibility and Quality of Training, Education and Employment Services

1.3

£1.166477

£1.069693

£2.236170

Employment

Accompanying Infrastructure and Equipment Support

1.4

£1.860420

£0.322514

£0.139318

£0.094797

£0.075267

£0.005733

£0.126777

£2.624826

Cross Border Development

Co-operation between Public Bodies (ERDF)

S/P 3.3a

£0.010000

£0.010000

Cross Border Development

Co-operation between Public Bodies (ESF)

S/P 3.3b

£0.081272

£0.081272

Social Inclusion

Promoting the Inclusion of Children and Young People

S/P 4.3

£0.110175

£0.110175

Social Inclusion

Accompanying Infrastructure and Equipment Support from the ERDF

S/P 4.6

£0.039102

£0.039102

Flagships

S/P 8

£1.257418

£1.257418

£15.969625

Sub-programme

Measure

2001

DEL

Proteus

Playboard

TWN

EGSA

NIVT

Invest NI

Employment

Boosting Growth and Retraining for Peace

1.1

£0.049858

£0.800090

£0.352333

£0.235481

£1.437762

Employment

Action for Jobs

1.2

£0.108455

£1.680663

£0.500814

£2.289932

Employment

Improving the Accessibility and Quality of Training, Education and Employment Services

1.3

£0.264888

£0.358437

£0.623325

Employment

Accompanying Infrastructure and Equipment Support

1.4

£1.074479

£0.112453

£0.041643

£0.019666

£0.013584

£0.077311

£1.339136

Cross Border Development

Co-operation between Public Bodies (ERDF)

S/P 3.3a

£0.000000

£0.000000

Cross Border Development

Co-operation between Public Bodies (ESF)

S/P 3.3b

£0.035640

£0.035640

Social Inclusion

Promoting the Inclusion of Children and Young People

S/P 4.3

£0.108025

£0.108025

Social Inclusion

Accompanying Infrastructure and Equipment Support from the ERDF

S/P 4.6

£0.058395

£0.058395

Flagships

S/P 8

£0.492888

£0.492888

£6.385103

Enterprise Ulster (EU)

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
Dec. 1999 – 2000	41	£13,291.94
2000 – 2001	33	£44,777
2001 – 2002	34	£42,488

Other bodies funded by my Department which use credit cards and expenditure in each financial year since devolution are as follows;

Northern Ireland Business Education
Partnership (NIBEP)

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
1999 – 2000	0	Nil
2000 – 2001	1	£543
2001 – 2002	1	£1,200

Tourism Training Trust (TTT)

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
1999 – 2000	0	Nil
2000 – 2001	0	Nil
2001 – 2002	1	£965

Stranmillis University College

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
Dec. 1999 – 2000	3	£6,160
2000 – 2001	3	£21,632
2001 – 2002	3	£37,947

Queen’s University Belfast

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
1999 – 2000	0	Nil
2000 – 2001	0	Nil
2001 – 2002	1	£4,000

Skill NI

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
Dec. 1999 – 2000	0	Nil
2000 – 2001	0	Nil
2001 – 2002	2	£1,833.72

Workers Educational Association (WEA)

Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
Dec. 1999 – 2000	0	Nil
2000 – 2001	2	£77.81
2001 – 2002	2	£1,001.47

Further Education Colleges

FE College	Financial Year	No. of Credit Cards	Expenditure
Belfast Institute	Dec. 1999 – 2000	6	£1,157.35
	2000 – 2001	6	£7,583.47
	2001 – 2002	6	£5,637.72
Castlereagh	Dec. 1999 – 2000	2	£1,515
	2000 – 2001	2	£2,133
	2001 – 2002	2	£2,110
East Antrim	Dec. 1999 – 2000	0	Nil
	2000 – 2001	0	Nil
	2001 – 2002	1	£3,427.95
Newry & Kilkeel	Dec. 1999 – 2000	0	Nil
	2000 – 2001	1	£2,520.21
	2001 – 2002	1	£4,087
NI Hotel & Catering	Dec. 1999 – 2000	0	Nil
	2000 – 2001	1	£787
	2001 – 2002	1	£2,435.35

Catering College and University of
Ulster at Jordanstown: Merger

Mr S Wilson asked the Minister for Employment and Learning, in light of her decision to approve the merger of the Northern Ireland Hotel and Catering College and University of Ulster at Jordanstown, to outline (a) the criteria used to reach her decision; (b) any discussions and consultations that took place; (c) any specific reasoning that persuaded her to approve the merger; and (e) the hotel and catering organisations that (i) agreed and (ii) disagreed with her decision.

(AQW 4476/01)

Ms Hanna: PriceWaterhouseCoopers produced an economic appraisal last year to HM Treasury Green Book Standards. They considered the options including retaining the current status of the Northern Ireland Hotel and Catering College; merger with another Further Education College; merger with a Higher Education institution in Northern Ireland; and the development of the College as a multi-disciplinary FE College. The options were assessed against cost; the development of a centre of excellence; alignment with the needs of the industry; maintaining the focus on the hospitality and tourism sector; and ease of implementation. Merger with the University of Ulster was identified as the preferred option. The Economic Appraisal was subsequently approved by my Department, having consulted the Department of Finance and Personnel.

Under legislation, I am empowered only to make a decision on whether a merger should proceed. I have no locus to decide where a University should locate its course provision. In January I issued a consultation document and received 56 responses within the period, additional written responses were received outside that period, I also met formally and informally with other interested parties, including the Employment and Learning Assembly Committee.

Those who supported the merger included the Tourism Training Trust, the Food and Drink Training Council, the Retail Licensed Trade Federation, the NI Hotels Federation, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Coleraine Borough Council and a range of Political Representatives. Those who were against the Merger included a range of businesses from the hospitality sector, political representatives, students, past students and parents. Most concerns raised were over location. The Employment and Learning Committee voted by a small majority not to support the merger.

My decision to approve the merger will build on the existing excellence in both institutions to establish a world class centre of excellence; the numbers of well trained graduates will be increased; Research and Development opportunities will be increased; and two additional professorial chairs will be created. I anticipate the necessary administrative order will be in place by 1 August to enable the synergy between these two respected organisations to develop and to further grow in excellence for the good of the hospitality and tourism sector in Northern Ireland.

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