AQW 49976/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 30/06/2026
Answered On Date: 07/07/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy for an update on the operation of the College Employers’ Forum.

Answer:

The College Employers’ Forum (CEF) continues to operate as the mechanism through which the six Further Education (FE) colleges collaborate on sector-wide employment matters, including engagement with trade unions on pay, terms and conditions of service.

As employers in their own right, the colleges are responsible for employment matters and for the operation of the Forum. My Department maintains regular engagement with CEF and receives updates on matters of relevance to the FE sector.

CEF is currently progressing a programme of work, which incorporates the conditions agreed as part of the 2024/25 and 2025/26 lecturers’ pay settlement in respect of industrial relations framework review, workload action plan and reviewing teacher pay scale parity. The CEF is also progressing work on a review of sector-wide HR policies and procedures and senior staff pay policy. The Department will continue to work constructively with CEF and the FE colleges on these matters.