PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 5 February 2009
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr John Dallat
Mr Trevor Lunn
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr George Robinson
Mr Jim Shannon
Mr Jim Wells
In Attendance: Ms Alison Ross (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mitchel McLaughlin
The meeting opened at 2.01pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 29 January 2009.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
3. Matters arising.
Agreed : The Forward Work Programme for April to July 2009 was agreed for publication.
4. Briefing on NIAO Report ‘The PFI Contract for Northern Ireland’s New Vehicle Testing Facilities’.
Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG; Mr Eddie Bradley, Director; Mr Paul Turley, Senior Audit Manager and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, briefed the Committee on the NIAO Report, ‘The PFI Contract for Northern Ireland’s New Vehicle Testing Facilities’.
2.05pm Mr Burns joined the meeting.
2.07pm Ms Purvis joined the meeting.
2.11pm The meeting went into closed session .
2.20pm Mr Wells joined the meeting.
2.53pm Mr Wells left the meeting.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by members.
5. Consideration of the Committee’s Draft Report on ‘Brangam Bagnall & Co: Legal Practitioner Fraud Perpetrated Against the Health & Personal Social Services’.
Members considered the draft report paragraph by paragraph.
The Committee considered the main body of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 9 read and agreed.
Paragraph 10 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 11 – 15 read and agreed.
Paragraph 16 read, amended and agreed.
3.04pm Mr Wells rejoined the meeting.
Paragraphs 17 – 26 read and agreed.
Paragraph 27 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 28 read and agreed.
Paragraph 29 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 30 – 38 read and agreed.
Paragraph 39, 40 and 41 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 42 – 43 read and agreed.
Insert new paragraph 44.
Paragraphs 45 – 49 read and agreed.
Paragraph 50 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 51 – 53 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 54 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 55 – 64 read and agreed.
3.29pm Mr Burns left the meeting.
Paragraphs 65 and 66 read, amended and agreed.
3.33pm Mr Lunn left the meeting.
Paragraph 67 deleted.
3.34pm Mr Lunn rejoined the meeting.
Paragraph 68 read and agreed.
Paragraph 69 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 70– 75 read and agreed.
3.37pm Ms Purvis left the meeting.
The Committee considered the Executive Summary.
Paragraphs 1 and 2 read and agreed.
Paragraph 3 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 4 – 14 read and agreed.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson’s letters to the Accounting Officer, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and to The Law Society of Northern Ireland be included in the Committee’s Report, together with the response letters from the Accounting Officer, Department Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and the Law Society of Northern Ireland. Correspondence received from Mr Gary Daly will also be included in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members agreed the report would be embargoed until 00.01am on Thursday, 26 February 2009, when the report would be published.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Clerk seek advice from the Press Office regarding publicity for the launch of the report.
6. Any other business.
Members discussed arrangements for the meeting with PAC in Dublin to discuss scrutiny of North/ South Bodies .
Agreed: Members agreed travel arrangements relating to the meeting with the PAC in Dublin.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Clerk to the Committee for Finance and Personnel enclosing information from the Department for Finance & Personnel on Post Project Evaluations.
7. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 12 February 2009 at 2.00pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.40pm.