THE Minister for Employment and Learning, Stephen Farry, recently met with the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training, Roseanna Cunningham, to discuss the delivery of employment programmes and services in Northern Ireland.
The powers for the delivery of employment provision will be devolved to the Scottish government in 2017 and this is an opportunity for the Scottish minister to learn from the Northern Ireland experience.
Minister Farry said: “My department has designed and developed programmes and services over the years that have assisted the economy to grow and to help some of the most disadvantaged people in our society move towards finding and keeping work.
“I am encouraged by the ongoing fall in the Jobseeker’s Allowance numbers and we will be working to ensure that this continues.
I am very pleased to share the lessons that we have learnt over the years and wish the Cabinet Secretary every success as she develops specific Scottish solutions.”
Following her meeting with Minister Farry, the Cabinet Secretary visited the premises of Ingeus UK Ltd, who hold the contract to deliver the Steps 2 Success programme on behalf of the Department for Employment and Learning in the Greater Belfast area.
During this visit, the Cabinet Secretary met with Ingeus senior personnel and was given a presentation on Ingeus’ delivery of the Steps 2 Success programme.
The Cabinet Secretary also visited Knockbreda Jobs and Benefits Office, where she met departmental staff and, during a tour of their premises, saw how the department’s Employment Service operates.
She said: “A key part of the development of any new policy or programme is learning lessons from others and the Scottish government has done so consistently over the whole range of portfolio areas.
“The Northern Ireland Minister for Employment and Learning has been a helpful source of information and I was very interested in seeing how Steps 2 Success, the Department for Employment and Learning’s main adult employment programme, is delivered.
“There are some similarities between Northern Ireland and Scotland in our demographics and, as another devolved government, I am confident Northern Ireland will offer further insight on support for the unemployed.”