PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2007
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 Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Trevor Lunn
In Attendance: Mrs Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Nicola Shephard (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr Patsy McGlone
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 4 October 2007.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
3. Matters arising.
None
4. Briefing on the NIAO Report ‘Internal Fraud in Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland’.
Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Eddie Bradley, Director of Value for Money, and Mr Patrick O’Neill, Audit Manager, briefed the Committee on the NIAO report ‘Internal Fraud in Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland’, and fraud prevention, and answered members’ questions.
2.11pm The meeting went into closed session.
2.25pm Mr Hamilton joined the meeting.
5. Issues from oral evidence session on the NIAO Report ‘Transfer of Surplus Land in the PFI Education Pathfinder Projects’.
Members discussed issues relating to the evidence session, and discussed further questions which should be forwarded to the Accounting Officer. The Chairperson informed members that he and the Clerk had held a meeting with Ms Patricia McKeown and Mr Jonathan Swallow from UNISON in relation to PFI projects. Members considered a paper from UNISON.
Agreed: Members agreed to forward additional questions to the Accounting Officer.
Agreed: Members agreed to consider relevant sections of the UNISON paper when appropriate within the Committee work programme and to forward the paper to the NIAO for their consideration during preparation of future relevant reports.
Agreed: Members agreed to invite the Board of Governors of Wellington College to make a submission to the Committee on the PFI project.
3.08pm Mr Hilditch left the meeting.
6. Consideration of Draft Committee Report on Northern Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy.
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 Ms Ursula Moyna, Audit Manager.
The Committee considered the main body of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 5 read and agreed.
Paragraph 6 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 7 – 11 read and agreed.
Paragraph 12 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 13 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 14 – 15 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 16 read and agreed.
Paragraph 17 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 18 – 21 read and agreed.
Paragraph 22 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 23 – 24 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 25 – 27 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 28 - 30 read and agreed.
Paragraph 31 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 32 read and agreed.
Paragraph 33 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 34 – 39 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 40 – 41 read, amended and agreed.
3.54pm Mr Hamilton left the meeting.
Paragraphs 42 – 43 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 44 – 45 read, amended and agreed.
3.59pm Mr Hamilton rejoined the meeting.
Paragraph 46 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 47 read and agreed.
Paragraph 48 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 49 – 50 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 51 – 53 read, amended and agreed.
4.14pm Mr Lunn and Mr McLaughlin left the meeting.
The Committee considered the Executive Summary of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 9 read and agreed.
Paragraph 10 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 11 read and agreed.
Paragraph 12 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 13 – 23 read and agreed.
Paragraph 24 read, amended and agreed.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson’s letter to Mr Will Haire, Accounting Officer, Department of Education, Mr Haire’s response, Mr David Lyle’s letter to the C&AG and C&AG’s response would be included in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members agreed to embargo the report until 00.01am on Thursday, 8 November 2007.
Agreed: Members agreed to launch the report with a reception in the Long Gallery.
Agreed: Members agreed to discuss options for press conferences with the Deputy Information Officer at the meeting on 25 October 2007.
7. Correspondence.
Members considered a letter from a member of the public regarding provision of an adapted self drive vehicle.
Agreed: Members agreed to forward the correspondence to the Employment and Learning Committee for consideration.
Members considered a letter from a member of the public regarding accountability issues raised with NIAO. C&AG briefed the Committee and confirmed that the NIAO would consider the issues when preparing a relevant report.
Mr Beggs declared an interest as his father is the Chairperson of the North Eastern Education and Library Board.
Agreed: Members agreed to forward the letter to NIAO for consideration.
8. Any other business.
None.
9. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 18 October 2007 at 2.00pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.24pm.