PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 28 JANUARY 2010
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Jim Shannon
In Attendance:
Ms Aoibhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Phil Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Miss Danielle Best (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Trevor Lunn
Ms Dawn Purvis
The meeting opened at 2:05 pm in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are listed above.
2:06 pm Mr Hilditch entered the meeting.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 21 January 2010
Agreed: The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
3. Matters arising
Press Release on the forthcoming Committee Reports ‘The Performance of the Health Service in Northern Ireland
Agreed: The Committee considered the proposed press release and agreed to issue it to coincide with the launch of the report on 11 February 2010.
Agreed: The Committee further agreed to provide a media pre-brief for the launch of the report.
Press Release on the forthcoming Committee Reports ‘The Performance of the Planning Service’.
Agreed: The Committee considered the proposed press release and and agreed to issue it to coincide with the launch of the report on 18 February 2010.
Agreed: The Committee further agreed to provide a media pre-brief for the launch of the report.
4. Northern Ireland Audit Office Paper on the Use of Consultants
The Committee received briefing on an advice paper from the Northern Ireland Audit Office requested by the Committee in relation to expenditure figures from the Committee’s January 2008 ‘Report on the Use of Consultants’.
Ms Fiona Hamill, TOA, responded to the paper.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to endorse the recommendations of the paper; and that Ms Hamill should keep the Committee up to date with progress on the matter.
2:39 pm Mr Dallat and Mr McGlone left the meeting.
2:50 pm The meeting went into closed session.
5. Briefing on the NIAO Report on ‘The Review of the Gateway Process & the Management of Personal Injury Claims’
Mr Kieran Donnelly, Comptroller & Auditor General; Mr Eddie Bradley, Assistant Auditor General; Mr Paul Craig, Audit Manager; & Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager; briefed the Committee on the report.
2:54 pm Mr Dallat entered the meeting.
3:30 pm Mr Donaldson and Mr Shannon left the meeting.
3:36 pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by members.
Agreed: Members agreed to pilot a “rapporteur” approach at its forthcoming evidence session on 4 February 2010.
6. Any other business
The Committee was advised that correspondence forwarded from the Committee for Environment to the C&AG was available for members to view in the Committee’s Office.
7. Date, time and venue of the next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 4 February 2010 at 2:00 pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3:44 pm.