PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2008
Room 144, Parliament Buildings, belfast
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Burns
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 Damien Martin (Clerk Assistant)
Ms Alison Ross (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Keith McBride (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
None
The meeting opened at 2.01pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
None.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 13 November 2008.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
2.03pm Mr McLaughlin joined the meeting.
3. Matters arising.
Members considered the draft press release that would be issued to coincide with the launch of the Committee’s Report on Delivering Pathology Services: The PFI Laboratory and Pharmacy Centre at Altnagelvin.
Agreed: Members agreed the press release.
2.04pm Mr Wells and Mr Robinson joined the meeting.
4. Memorandum of Response.
Members considered the Memorandum of Response (MoR) from the Department for Finance and Personnel (DFP) on the Committee’s Report on Managing Sickness Absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. Members noted that in line with Recommendation 2 of the Report, DFP has now provided a copy of their Annual Report on “Sickness Absence in the NICS”.
5. Issues from oral evidence session on NIAO report ‘Shared Services for Efficiency –A Progress Report’.
2.07pm Mr Burns left the meeting.
Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Brandon McMaster, Director of Value for Money, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, spoke to the issues paper and answered members’ questions.
Agreed: Members agreed the issues paper.
2.15pm The meeting went into closed session.
6. Consideration of responses to the Committee’s Second Composite Report.
Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Brandon McMaster, Director of Value for Money, Mr Sean McKay, Audit Manager, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, answered members’ questions.
Members considered the responses to the following Reports:
(a) Management of Surplus Land and Property in the Health Estate;
(b) The Fire and Rescue Service Training Centre;
(c) Insolvency and the Conduct of Directors;
(d) Collections Management in the Arts Council of Northern Ireland; and
(e) Reinvestment and Reform: Improving Northern Ireland’s Public Infrastructure.
Agreed: Members agreed to include the responses and take forward the Second Composite Report.
Agreed: C&AG agreed to provide members with a copy of the Corporate Governance Codes.
7. Correspondence – MoR responses.
2.23pm Ms Purvis joined the meeting.
Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Brandon McMaster, Director of Value for Money, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, briefed members on the MoR responses and answered members’ questions.
8. Update information on NIAO report ‘Improving Numeracy and Literacy in Schools’.
Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Sean McKay, Audit Manager, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager briefed members and answered members’ questions.
Agreed: Members agreed that C&AG would convey members’ concerns regarding training and development at Playgroup level and the potential for impact this had on improving numeracy and literacy.
9. Any other business.
(a) Members were reminded that the President of the European Parliament, Mr Hans-Gert Pottering will address Assembly Members in the Senate at 11.00 a.m. on Monday 24 November 2008.
(b) Members noted the press cutting from the Newsletter, concerning sick absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
(c) Members noted the memo from the Central Committee Office concerning the publication of Member’s attendance at Committee meetings.
(d) Members considered a letter to members from Mr Brendan McFerran. Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, briefed members on the circumstances involved and why he would not, at present, be investigating the issue. The next update report from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment is expected shortly and will provide further information. Members were content with this approach.
10. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 27 November 2008 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.58pm.