PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 29 January 2009
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr George Robinson
Mr Jim Shannon
Mr Jim Wells
In Attendance: Ms Alison Ross (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Mr Trevor Lunn
Ms Dawn Purvis
The meeting opened at 2.03pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 22 January 2009.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
3. Matters arising.
Members considered correspondence from Mr Gary Daly.
2.05pm Mr Dallat and Mr Burns joined the meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed that the correspondence would be included as part of the Committee’s Report on Brangam Bagnall & Co: Legal Practitioner Fraud Perpetrated against the Health and Personal Social Services.
4. Forward Work Programme.
Members discussed the draft forward work programme for the period April to July 2009. Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, briefed the Committee.
2.07pm Mr McLaughlin joined the meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed to take evidence on the following NIAO reports:
(a) Governance Issues in FECs and Examination of Fermanagh College of Further and Higher Education; and
(b) The Department of Education: Investigation of Suspected Contract Fraud.
Agreed: Members also agreed that they would hold a third evidence session, with the subject provisionally being the NIAO reports ‘The Performance of the Health Service in Northern Ireland’ and ‘Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Northern Ireland’. However, as the subject of this evidence session may change, the Accounting Officer, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety should not be informed until this is finalised.
5. Memoranda of Reply to the Committee Report on Statement of Rate Levy and Collection 2006-07 and the Committee Report on Delivering Pathology Services: the PFI Laboratory and Pharmacy Centre at Altnagelvin.
Members considered the Memoranda of Reply (MOR).
Mr Beggs declared an interest as he is a member of Carrickfergus Borough Council.
Agreed: Members agreed to seek clarification from Department of Finance and Personnel on recommendation 23 of the MOR relating to Statement of Rate Levy and Collection 2006-07.
Agreed: Members agreed to forward a copy of the Memorandum of Reply in relation to the Committee Report on Delivering Pathology Services: the PFI Laboratory and Pharmacy Centre at Altnagelvin to Ms Elaine Way, Chief Executive, Western Health and Social Care Trust, for her information.
2.27pm The meeting went into closed session.
6. Issues from oral evidence session on NIAO report ‘Road Openings by Utilities: Follow-up to the Recommendations of the Public Account Committee’.
2.36pm Mr Shannon joined the meeting.
Members discussed the paper and issues which arose from the evidence session last week.
2.59pm Mr Dallat left the meeting.
7. Any other business.
None.
8. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 5 February 2009 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.03pm.