PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 11 September 2008
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr Jim Wells
In Attendance: Mr Jim Beatty (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Mr Thomas Burns
The meeting opened at 2.01pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2.02pm Mr McLaughlin joined the meeting.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 4 September 2008.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
3. Matters arising.
Members considered the arrangements for the Committee visit to the Laboratory and Pharmacy Centre, Altnagelvin Hospital on 2 October 2008.
2.05pm Ms Purvis joined the meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed that they would travel individually to the meeting in Altnagelvin Hospital and would not need overnight accommodation.
Members considered a number of NIAO reports on which they would not be able to take oral evidence, and which will be dealt with by the Committee by correspondence in the Second Composite Report.
Agreed: Members agreed the list of reports for the Second Composite Report.
Agreed: Members agreed that a number of questions will be drawn up and presented to the Committee at a future meeting.
2.07pm Mr Wells joined the meeting.
2.08pm Mr Craig joined the meeting.
Members considered a number of locations for the Committee meeting on 23 October 2008, when the Senate Chamber is use for a Youth Parliament held by the Speaker.
Agreed: Members agreed to hold the meeting on 23 October 2008 in the Stormont Hotel.
4. Consideration of Memorandum of Reply (MOR) on the Committee’s Report on the Northern Ireland Tourist Board – Contract to Manage the Trading Activities of Rural Cottage Holidays Limited.
Members considered the response to the Committee’s Report on Northern Ireland Tourist Board – Contract to Manage the Trading Activities of Rural Cottage Holidays Limited. The witnesses attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Department of Finance and Personnel about some issues which members raised in the MOR.
Agreed: Members agreed to obtain an update on the progress against the Department’s response to the Committee’s recommendations in 12 months’ time.
5. Briefing on the NIAO report ‘Statement of Rate Levy and Collection 2006-07’.
Mr Beggs declared an interest as a local government Councillor.
Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG, Mr Stephen McCormick, Director, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, briefed the Committee on the NIAO Report, ‘Statement of Rate Levy and Collection 2006-07’, and answered members’ questions.
2.25pm Mr Hamilton joined the meeting.
2.38pm The meeting went into closed session.
6. Consideration of the Committee’s Draft Report on Sea Fisheries: Vessel Modernisation and Decommissioning Schemes.
Members considered the draft report paragraph by paragraph.
The Committee considered the main body of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 30 read and agreed.
Paragraph 31 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 32 – 44 read and agreed.
3.14pm Mr Hilditch left the meeting.
Paragraphs 45 – 47 read and agreed.
Paragraph 48 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 49 and 50 read and agreed.
Paragraph 51 read, amended and agreed.
3.30pm Mr Hilditch rejoined the meeting.
Paragraph 52 read and agreed.
3.31pm Ms Purvis left the meeting.
Paragraphs 53 – 55 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 56 and 57 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 58 – 67 read and agreed.
3.46pm Mr Hamilton left the meeting.
Paragraphs 68 – 71 read and agreed.
3.48pm Mr Wells left the meeting.
Paragraph 72 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 73 – 79 read and agreed.
3.50pm Mr Hamilton rejoined the meeting.
Paragraphs 80 and 81 read and agreed.
The Committee considered the Executive Summary.
Paragraphs 1 – 915 read and agreed.
Paragraph 10 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 11 – 15 read and agreed.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson’s letter requesting further information to the Accounting Officer, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Accounting Officer’s response would be included in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members agreed to embargo the report until 00.01am on Thursday, 9 October 2008, when the report would be officially released.
Agreed: Members agreed not to hold a press conference on Thursday, 9 October 2008 to launch the Committee’s report.
7. Any other business.
Members noted the list of Reports which the Committee has published and the Memoranda of Reply which have been considered over the last session, together with an extract from the Official Report of the last Debate which was held in Plenary to note the Committee’s work.
3.53pm Mr Wells rejoined the meeting.
The Chairperson informed Members that Mr Hamilton and Mr Hilditch would be leaving the Committee. He thanked them for their contribution to the Committee and wished them well for the future.
8. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 18 September 2008 at 2.00pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.55pm.