PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
Minutes of Proceedings
Thursday, 20 September 2007
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr John O’Dowd (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
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 Willie Clarke
Mr Trevor Lunn
The meeting opened at 2.02pm in public session.
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Apologies.
Apologies are detailed above.
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Minutes of the meeting on 13 September 2007.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
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Matters arising.
Members noted a flyer to alert press and media about the launch of the Committee Report on Outpatients: Missed Appointments and Cancelled Clinics and a press release to issue before the Press Conference on 27 September 2007.
Agreed: Members agreed the flyer to issue immediately and the press release to issue before the Press Conference.
Members noted a list of press organisations and a list of specific press contacts.
Agreed: Members agreed that the flyer and press release should be sent to all the press organisations and press contacts, and that an advance copy of the Committee report should be issued to specific press contacts.
2.06pm Mr Beggs and Mr McGlone joined the meeting.
A member raised an issue regarding the delay in receiving NIAO reports following their publication. Mr John Dowdall, C&AG, Mr Barry Edgar, Assistant Auditor General and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, briefed the Committee on the updated arrangements for issue of newly published NIAO reports to members and assured members that they would receive the reports as soon as published.
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Consideration of Memorandum of Response on Committee Report on The Update of the Belfast to Bangor Railway Line.
Members considered the response to the Committee report.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Treasury Officer of Accounts in respect of PAC Recommendation 6 and to obtain an update on the progress against the Department's responses to the Committee’s recommendations in twelve to eighteen months.
2.20pm The meeting went into closed session.
2.20pm Mr McGlone left the meeting.
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Consideration of the Accounting Officer’s update on the Memorandum of Response: The Use of Operating Theatres in the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services.
Members noted the update from the Accounting Officer, Dr Andrew McCormick. Members received briefing on the update from Mr John Dowdall, C&AG, Mr Barry Edgar, Assistant Auditor General and Mr Sean McKay, Audit Manager.
2.25pm Mr Dallat joined the meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed that on the next occasion on which the Accounting Officer gives evidence to the Committee, members will return to this matter.
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Issues arising from oral evidence session on the NIAO Report ‘ Northern Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy’.
Members discussed issues relating to the evidence session.
2.42pm Mr McGlone rejoined the meeting.
Members discussed whether the questions which had not been asked at the previous evidence session, and a further question proposed by a member, should be forwarded to the Accounting Officer.
Agreed: The Committee agreed not to forward the questions to the Accounting Officer.
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Consideration of Draft Committee Report on Springvale Educational Village Project.
Members considered the draft report paragraph by paragraph. The witnesses attending were Mr John Dowdall, C&AG, Mr Robert Hutcheson, Director of Value for Money, Mr Alan Orme, Audit Manager and Ms Jacqueline O’Brien, Audit Manager.
The Committee considered the main body of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 6 read and agreed.
Paragraph 7 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 8 read and agreed.
3.00pm Mr McGlone left the meeting.
Paragraphs 9 and 10 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 11 – 13 read and agreed.
3.10pm Ms Purvis joined the meeting.
Paragraph 14 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 15 – 22 read and agreed.
Paragraph 23 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 24 – 29 read and agreed.
Paragraph 30 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 31 – 35 read and agreed.
3.25pm Mr McLaughlin left the meeting.
Paragraphs 36 – 44 read and agreed.
Paragraph 45 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 46 – 55 read and agreed.
Paragraph 56 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 57 – 63 read and agreed.
Paragraph 64 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 65 – 69 read and agreed.
Paragraph 70 read, amended and agreed.
3.52pm Ms Purvis left the meeting.
The Committee considered the Executive Summary of the report.
Paragraphs
1 – 14 read and agreed.
Paragraph 15 read, amended and agreed.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson’s letter and Clerk’s letter to Dr Aideen McGinley requesting additional written information and Dr McGinley’s and Professor Richard Barnett’s responses would be included in the Committee’s report, together with the written submissions from North Belfast Partnership Board, West Belfast Partnership Board and Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education (now known as Belfast Metropolitan College).
Agreed: Members agreed to embargo the report until 10.00am on Thursday, 11 October 2007, when the report would be officially released at a press conference.
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Any other business.
Members considered a venue for the meeting on 15 November 2007.
Agreed: Members agreed that the meeting would take place in the Stormont Hotel on 15 November 2007.
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Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 27 September 2007 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.05pm.
John O’Dowd
Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee.
27 September 2007