PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 11 DECEMBER 2008
Northern Ireland Audit Office, University Road, Belfast
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr John Dallat
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr Jim Shannon
In Attendance:
Mr Damien Martin (Clerk Assistant)
Ms Alison Ross (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr George Robinson
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in closed session.
The Chairperson thanked the Northern Ireland Audit Office for the use of their conference room for the Committee’s meeting.
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Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
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Minutes of the meeting on 4 December 2008.
Agreed : The minutes were agreed.
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Matters arising.
None.
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Consideration of the Committee’s Draft Report on Shared Services for Efficiency – A Progress Report.
Members considered the draft report paragraph by paragraph.
The Committee considered the main body of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 7 read and agreed.
Paragraph 8 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 9 read and agreed.
Paragraph 10 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 11 – 13 read and agreed.
Paragraph 14 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 15 read and agreed.
Paragraph 16 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 17 – 19 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 20 and 21 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 22 read and agreed.
Paragraph 23 read, amended and agreed.2.20pm Mr Dallat joined the meeting.
Paragraph 24 read and agreed.
Paragraph 25 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 26 – 28 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 29 and 30 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 31 read and agreed.
Paragraph 32 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 33 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 34 and 35 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 36 – 38 read and agreed.
Paragraph 39 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 40 and 41 read and agreed.
Paragraph 42 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 43 – 48 read and agreed.The Committee considered the Executive Summary.
Paragraphs 1 – 6 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 7 and 8 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 9 and 10 read and agreed.
Paragraph 11 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 12 – 16 read and agreed.Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson’s letters requesting further information to the Accounting Officer, Department of Finance and Personnel, and the initial letter from the Accounting Officer, Department of Finance and Personnel would be included in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members agreed that when clarification is received from the Accounting Officer regarding the commercial sensitivity of some of the documents forwarded to the Committee, the Chairperson would decide which papers would be included in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members agreed that the report would be embargoed until 00.01am on Thursday, 15 January 2009, when the report would be published.
Agreed: Members agreed that they would not hold a press conference to launch the report.
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Third Composite Report on Issues Dealt with by Correspondence.
Members considered a series of draft questions to be issued to Accounting Officers in relation to the Third Composite Report. NIAO staff attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager.
Agreed: Members agreed the questions and that they should issue to the Accounting Officers.
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Evidence on the NIAO Report ‘Accountability of North/South Bodies 1999 – 2007’.
Members considered the Clerk’s memorandum setting out the issues in relation to the Committee’s scrutiny of North/South Bodies, and which bodies they wished to call to an evidence session. Members also considered the possibility of a meeting with the Public Accounts Committee in the Houses of the Oireachtas, Dublin.
Agreed : Members agreed that they would take evidence on two bodies, namely, InterTrade Ireland, and Special EU Programmes Body, and that the Clerk would provide options for a venue for the evidence session in either Newry or Armagh.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Clerk should make arrangements for the full Committee to meet with the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee.
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Issues from oral evidence session on NIAO report ‘Brangam Bagnall & Co – Legal Practitioner Fraud Perpetrated against the Health & Personal Social Services’.
Members considered the issues paper. NIAO staff attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG, Mr Terry Woodhouse, Director, and Ms Anu Kane, Audit Manager.
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Press release in relation to the Committee’s Report on Warm Homes: Tackling Fuel Poverty.
Agreed: Members agreed the press release.
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Discussion on process quality assurance.
Members discussed quality assurance issues on the process by which the Committee conducts its business and considered forthcoming reports which the NIAO intends to publish. Members also made some suggestions on topics for future NIAO reports. NIAO staff attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, and Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG.
3.16pm Mr Shannon left the meeting.
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Committee Christmas cards.
Members considered the suggested individuals/groups to whom Christmas cards should be sent.
Agreed: Members agreed the list.
Agreed: Members agreed to send cards to all departmental Accounting Officers.
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Any other business.
Members considered a draft letter to the Accounting Officer, Department of the Environment, requesting updated performance data on the NIAO report ‘The PFI Contract for Northern Ireland’s New Vehicle Testing Facilities’.
Agreed: Members agreed that the letter should issue.
Members noted a letter from the Accounting Officer, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, providing an update on governance issues within LEDU.
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Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 15 January 2009 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.59pm.
Paul Maskey
Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee.
15 January 2009