PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Minutes of Proceedings
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Confex 2 & 3, Stormont Hotel, Belfast
Present:
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr George Robinson
Mr Jim Shannon
Mr Jim Wells
In Attendance:
Mr Jim Beatty (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Alison Ross (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Apologies:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Burns
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session, the Deputy Chairperson in the Chair.
The Deputy Chairperson welcomed Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General to the meeting, and Ms Fiona Hamill, Deputy Treasury Officer of Accounts (Deputy TOA) to her first Committee meeting.
1. Apologies.
The apologies are listed above.
2. Evidence on the NIAO Report ‘Warm Homes: Tackling Fuel Poverty’.
The Committee took oral evidence on the NIAO report ‘Warm Homes: Tackling Fuel Poverty’ from Mr Alan Shannon, Accounting Officer, Department for Social Development (DSD), Ms Heather Cousins, Director of Housing, DSD, Mr Stephen Martin, Head of Housing Research and Legislation, DSD, and Mr Richard Rogers, Managing Director, Eaga.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
2.11pm Mr Wells joined the meeting.
Members requested that the witnesses and Deputy TOA should provide additional information to the Clerk on some issues raised as a result of the evidence session.
3.52pm The evidence session finished and the witnesses left the meeting.
3. Minutes of the meeting on 16 October 2008.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
4. Matters arising.
(a) Members considered whether to hold a press conference to launch the Report on Statement of Rate Levy and Collection 2006-07. Members were advised that the Information Officer recommended that the media may wish to have pre-recorded interviews, rather than hold a press conference.
Agreed: Members agreed not to hold a press conference but to advise the Clerk if any member wishes to speak to the report.
Agreed: Members agreed to embargo the report until 00.01am on Thursday, 6 November 2008.
(b) Members considered whether a letter from Mr Leo O’Reilly, Accounting Officer, Department of Finance and Personnel, should be included in the report.
Agreed: Members agreed that Mr O’Reilly’s letter should be included in the report.
(c) Members considered a press release to launch the Report on Statement of Rates Levy and Collection 2006-07.
Agreed: Members agreed the press release.
(d) Forward work programme:
Members agreed at a previous meeting that they would ask for an update on the Memorandum of Reply – Department for Regional Development: Leakage Management and Water Efficiency. The Deputy Chairperson informed members that the NIAO is in the process of compiling a report on this issue.
Agreed: Members agreed that, in the circumstances, they would not ask for an update at this time.
The Deputy Chairperson informed members that the NIAO proposes to publish a report on Disability Living Allowance Appeals next year.
Agreed: Members agreed that, in the circumstances they would not take written evidence on this issue but substitute the NIAO report ‘Areas of Special Scientific Interest’ in the Third Composite Report on Issues Dealt with by Correspondence.
(e) Members considered the issues raised under any other business at last week’s meeting. The Clerk sought clarification from the Clerk to the Standards and Privileges Committee and informed the Committee that when the letter in question was written there was not an issue with conflict of interest.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee should not take any further action on this matter.
(f) Members had sought clarification on privilege at a previous meeting. The Deputy Chairperson informed members that privilege of the Chamber extends to Committee business and publications, including evidence from witnesses. However, if members or witnesses publish documents themselves, privilege does not apply in that case.
(g) The Deputy Chairperson confirmed to members that the Regional Development Committee has agreed to defer consideration of matters within the NIAO report ‘Road Openings by Utilities: Follow-up to Recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee’ until the Public Accounts Committee has concluded its consideration of the report.
5. Any other business.
Members noted a copy of a press release from Land and Property Services relating to calculation of the Penny Product.
Members considered an issue relating to delays in responses from Accounting Officers following evidence sessions, and to whom responses should be addressed.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to all Accounting Officers emphasising the need to respond to the Committee’s requests by the due date, and to detail to whom responses should be addressed.
Agreed: Members agreed that in future the Clerk should seek an explanation for delays in responses from Accounting Officers.
6. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 6 November 2008 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.05pm.