The conclusions that are eventually reached by a newly appointed independent facilitator in the long-running industrial dispute by college and university lecturers will not be binding – despite the Minister, Sir Reg Empey’s hopes that this will facilitate a speedy settlement.

Sir Joseph Pilling, a former permanent under-secretary in the Northern Ireland Office, has agreed to act as the independent adviser in the dispute.

But the issue of accepting its conclusions came to light in an Assembly debate earlier this week when East Belfast MLA, Robin Newton said: “It is an issue that needs to be resolved, and not only in the context of the further education lecturers; it is important to the economy of Northern Ireland.

“I note that Sir Joseph is eminently well qualified for the role and obviously enjoys the Minister’s confidence.

“However, will the Minister tell us whether his Department will be bound by the report’s findings when it is published?” he asked.

Sir Reg said that he would not go through the whole exercise, if he were going to cast aside the study’s findings lightly: “I emphasise that the point of appointing someone of such standing is to send a clear signal to employers, unions and the public-sector pay bodies that we are taking the matter seriously and that everybody should look carefully at the outcome of the study."

However, he emphasised: “I am not legally bound by the study.”

(BMcC)