PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
Minutes of Proceedings
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Senate Chamber, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr John O’Dowd (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Trevor Lunn
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 John Dallat
Mr Patsy McGlone
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
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Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
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The Committee met in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings, where it was considering the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) report ‘Internal Fraud in Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland’ (HIA 187). The Chairperson welcomed Mr John Dowdall CB, Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) and Mr David Thomson, Treasury Officer of Accounts (TOA), to the meeting.
2.04pm Ms Purvis joined the meeting.
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Evidence on the NIAO Report ‘Internal Fraud in Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland’
The Committee took oral evidence on the NIAO report ‘Internal Fraud in Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland’ from Mr Paul Sweeney, Accounting Officer, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and Mr Iain Greenway, Chief Executive, Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland. The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
The Committee requested that the witnesses should provide additional information on issues raised by members during the evidence session to the Clerk.
3.13pm The evidence session finished and the witnesses left the meeting.
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Evidence on Fraud Prevention
The Committee took oral evidence on fraud prevention from Mr David Thomson, Treasury Officer of Accounts, Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP), Mr Ciaran Doran, Deputy Treasury Officer of Accounts, DFP, and Ms Alison Caldwell, Head of Fraud and Internal Policy, DFP. The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
The Committee requested that the witnesses should provide additional information on issues raised by members during the evidence session to the Clerk.
4.11pm The evidence session finished and the witnesses left the meeting.
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Minutes of the meeting on 11 October 2007.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
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Matters arising.
Members considered the launch of the Committee Report on Northern Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy.
Agreed: Members agreed that they would launch the report on 9 November 2007 at 12 noon with a reception in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings.
Members considered a list of organisations who could be invited to the reception.
Agreed: Members agreed who should be invited to the reception, including the winners of the Road Safety Council School Debating Competition on Road Safety.
Agreed: Members agreed to invite PSNI to the reception, to demonstrate their drink and drug driving detection equipment
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Any other business.
Members noted that the Environment Committee use Room 144 on Thursday mornings and their meetings on 25 October and 8 November 2007 may extend beyond the normal meeting time.
Agreed: Members agreed to move their meeting to Room 135 on 25 October and 8 November 2007, if required.
A member highlighted to the Committee that a response from the Land and Property Agency, DFP, to the Chairperson’s letter regarding the evidence session on the NIAO report ‘Transfer of Surplus Land in the PFI Education Pathfinder Projects’ was insufficient.
Agreed: Members agreed to request further information from the Accounting Officer, DFP.
Members also queried whether a response has been received from the Accounting Officer, Department of Education, to the Chairperson’s request for further information raised by members at the recent evidence session. The Clerk informed members that no response had been received despite reminders.
Agreed: Members agreed to revisit this issue at next week’s meeting.
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Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 25 October 2007 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.20pm.