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PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Minutes of Proceedings
Thursday, 10 January 2008
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr John O’Dowd (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Trevor Lunn
Ms Dawn Purvis

In Attendance:
Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Nicola Shephard (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin

The meeting opened at 2.02pm in public session.

1. Apologies.

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Chairperson’s business.

The Chairperson informed members of a meeting with Mr Kit Chivers, Criminal Justice Inspectorate, who provided briefing on his organisation.

2.04pm Mr Hilditch joined the meeting.

3. Minutes of the meeting on 13 December 2007.

Agreed: The minutes were agreed.

4. Matters arising.

There were no matters arising.

5. Consideration of Memorandum of Response on Committee’s Report on Springvale Educational Village Project.

2.06pm Mr Brady joined the meeting.

Members considered the response to the Committee’s Report on Springvale Educational Village Project. The witnesses attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) and Mr Robert Hutcheson, Director of Value for Money, NIAO.

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Department of Finance and Personnel in relation to the terms used by the departments in response to the Committee’s recommendations in the Memorandum of Response .

2.27pm The meeting went into closed session.

6. Briefing on the Northern Ireland Audit Office reports – Northern Ireland Resource Accounts – Northern Ireland Child Support Agency Client Funds Account 2003-04 – 2006-07.

Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Ms Collette Kane, Director of Value for Money, Ms Kathy Doey, Audit Manager, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, briefed the Committee on the NIAO report Northern Ireland Resource Accounts – Northern Ireland Child Support Agency Client Funds Account 2003-04 – 2006-07, and answered members’ questions.

7. Press Release.

Members considered a press release in relation to the launch of the Committee report on Tackling Public Sector Fraud.

Agreed: Members agreed the press release as amended.

8. Consideration of Draft Committee Report on Use of Consultants.

Members considered the draft report paragraph by paragraph. The witnesses attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Eddie Bradley, Director of Value for Money,

and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager.

The Committee considered the main body of the report.

Paragraphs 1 – 7 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 8 and 9 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 10 – 13 read and agreed.
Paragraph 14 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 15 and 16 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 17 and 18 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 19 – 22 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 23 and 24 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 25 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 26 – 27 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 28 – 31 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 32 and 33 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 34 – 37 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 38 – 41 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 42 and 43 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 44 and 45 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 46 and 47 read and agreed.
Paragraph 48 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 49 and 50 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 51and– 52 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 53 – 57 read and agreed.

The Committee considered the Executive Summary of the report.

Paragraphs1 and 2 read and agreed.
Paragraph 3 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 4 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 5 and 6 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 7 and 8 read and agreed.
Paragraph 9 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 10 and 11 read and agreed.
Paragraph 12 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 13 read and agreed.
Paragraph 14 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 15 read and agreed.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.

Agreed: Members agreed that the updates from Department of Finance and Personnel and Department for Regional Development, together with the Chairperson’s letters requesting additional information to Mr Bruce Robinson and Mr David Sterling, and their responses would be included in the Committee’s report. Members also agreed that the grades in Appendix A of Mr Robinson’s response should be clarified.

Agreed: Members agreed to embargo the report until 00.01am on 7 February 2008, when the report would be officially released.

Agreed: Members agreed that they would consider whether to hold a press conference when the Clerk has gauged press interest in the report.

8. Any other business.

Members noted that when considering the Report on Tackling Public Sector Fraud they did not consider whether to include the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) submission paper mentioned in the report.

Agreed: Members agreed that the DFP submission should be included in the Committee Report on Tackling Public Sector Fraud.

The Chairperson informed members that John Lunny was leaving the Committee staff on promotion and members passed on their good wishes to him in his new position.

9. Date, time and place of next meeting.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 17 January 2008 at 2.00pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.54pm.

Roy Beggs
Deputy Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee.
17 January 2008

13 December 07 / Menu