PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 26 JUNE 2008
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr David Hilditch
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr Jim Wells
In Attendance:
Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Nicola Shepherd (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2.02pm Ms Purvis joined the meeting.
2. Chairperson’s business.
The Chairperson informed members of a meeting he had attended with the Chairperson of the Regional Development Committee, when matters relating to Northern Ireland Water were discussed. The Chairperson of the Regional Development Committee will forward relevant papers to the Committee before summer recess.
3. Minutes of the meeting on 19 June 2008.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
4. Matters arising.
None.
5. Consideration of Memorandum of Response on the Committee’s Report on Older People and Domiciliary Care.
Members considered the response to the Committee’s Report on Older People and Domiciliary Care. The witnesses attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager.
Agreed: Members agreed to obtain an update on the progress against the Department’s response to the Committee’s recommendations in due course.
6. Correpondence.
Members considered a number of items of correspondence as follows:
(a) A response from the Accounting Officer, Department of Education informing the Committee that progress reports would be forwarded when available in relation to the review of the current job evaluation procedures giving details of the resulting changes.
(b) A response from the Accounting Officer, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment providing details of the clawback from the land deals following the privatisation of Northern Ireland Electricity.
(c) A copy of the fleet management business case procurement of agreed numbers and specifications of cars for senior officers in the NI Fire and Rescue Service.
(d) A copy of the Internal Audit Review report in relation to Department for Regional Development’s new oversight controls of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company and Translink.
Members noted the correspondence at (a) to (d) above.
(e) A letter from C&AG in relation to the NIAO report ‘Reinvestment and Reform: Improving Northern Ireland’s Public Infrastructure’.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Accounting Officer, Department of Finance and Personnel requesting further information relating to the recommendations in the NIAO report.
2.10pm The meeting went into closed session.
7. Issues from oral evidence session on the NIAO report ‘Sea Fisheries: Vessel Modernisation and Decommissioning Schemes’.
Members discussed issues relating to the evidence session.
8. Consideration of the Committee’s Draft Report on Management of Sickness Absence in the NICS.
Members considered the draft report paragraph by paragraph. The witnesses attending were Mr John Dowdall CB , C&AG, Mr Robert Hutcheson, Director of Value for Money, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, NIAO.
The Committee considered the main body of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 6 read and agreed.
Paragraph 7 and paragraph 10, page 8, read and agreed.
Paragraphs 8 – 13 read and agreed.
Paragraph 14 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 15 - 21 read and agreed.
Paragraph 22 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 23 – 31 read and agreed.
Paragraph 32 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 33 – 37 read and agreed.
Paragraph 38 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 39 – 43 read and agreed.
Paragraph 44 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 45 – 54 read and agreed.
The Committee considered the Executive Summary.
Paragraphs 1 – 14 read and agreed.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson’s letters requesting additional information to the Accounting Officers, Department of Finance and Personnel and Department for Regional Development, and their responses would be included in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members agreed to embargo the report until 00.01am on Thursday, 4 September 2008, when the report would be officially released.
Agreed: Members agreed not to hold a press conference on Thursday, 4 September 2008 to launch the Committee’s report.
9. Any other business.
(a) Members agreed to delegate authority to the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson for dealing with any Freedom of Information requests over the summer recess.
(b) The Chairperson reminded members of the Press Conference to be held on Monday, 30 June 2008 at 9.00am to launch the Committee’s Report on Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland – A Case Study in financial management and the public appointments process.
(c) Members considered a letter from Sir Nigel Hamilton, Head of the Civil Service, regarding the Committee’s Report on Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland – A Case Study in financial management and the public appointments process.
Agreed: Members agreed a response to the letter and that the correspondence should be copied to the Clerk of the OFMDFM Committee.
(d) Members considered a press release to launch the Committee’s Report on Northern Ireland Tourist Board – Contract to Manage the Trading Activities of Rural Cottage Holidays Limited.
Agreed: Members agreed the press release.
10. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 3 July 2008 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.00pm.