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PRESS RELEASE

8 November 2007
PN 07/07

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE HOLDS MEETING OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

The Northern Ireland Assembly Public Accounts Committee will hold its meeting on Thursday, 15 November 2007 at the Stormont Hotel, Belfast and will be taking evidence on the Northern Ireland Audit Office report, ‘Use of Consultants’.

Mr John O’Dowd MLA, the Committee Chairperson said:
“The Public Accounts Committee will be asking searching questions on the reasons for the huge amounts of money spent by Government Departments, Agencies and (Non Departmental Public Bodies on using consultants for support and advisory services and ascertaining whether consultancy services were appropriately managed and achieved value for money.”

NOTES TO THE EDITOR:
  1. The meeting will start at 2:00pm in the Confex 2 & 3 at the Stormont Hotel, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast.
  2. The witnesses are Mr Bruce Robinson, Accounting Officer, Department of Finance and Personnel, and his officials, and Mr David Sterling, Accounting Officer, Department for Regional Development.
  3. Over the five years to March 2007, consultancy expenditure was approximately £186 million...
  4. Standing Orders under Section 60(3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 have provided for the establishment of the Public Accounts Committee (the Committee). The main statutory function of the Committee is to consider accounts and the reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland (C&AG) laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly.
  5. The C&AG is head of the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) and is empowered to investigate any area of expenditure and has a statutory right of access to all files and papers in Departments and public bodies.
  6. The PAC Committee members are:-
    Mr John O’Dowd, (SF) Chairperson
    Mr Roy Beggs, (UUP) Deputy Chairperson
    Mr Trevor Lunn ( Alliance)
    Mr Jonathan Craig (DUP)
    Mr Simon Hamilton (DUP)
    Mr David Hilditch (DUP)
    Ms Dawn Purvis (PUP)
    Mr Mickey Brady (SF)
    Mr Mitchel McLaughlin (SF)
    Mr John Dallat (SDLP)
    Mr Patsy McGlone (SDLP)

Media enquiries to:
Kieran Dougan,
Information Office, Parliament Buildings, Belfast. BT4 3XX
Tel. 028 90521642 Mobile 07825146794
Email: kieran.dougan@niassembly.gov.uk
Website archive.niassembly.gov.uk