PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 2 APRIL 2009
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr John Dallat
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr George Robinson
Mr Jim Shannon
In Attendance: Ms Alison Ross (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Aoibhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Mr Thomas Burns
Mr Trevor Lunn
Ms Dawn Purvis
The meeting opened at 2.03pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 26 March 2009.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
3. Matters arising.
The Chairperson informed members that the Clerk was leaving the Committee with effect from 20 April 2009, and members wished her well in her new post. The Chairperson welcomed Ms Aoibhinn Treanor as the new Clerk to the Committee.
4. Correspondence.
Members noted the letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Employment and Learning inviting members to take part in an initiative during Learning Disability Week and noted the contact information if they wished to host a young person with a disability for work shadowing placement.
Members agreed to discuss the correspondence from the Accounting Officer, Department for Employment and Learning at item 11.
5. Memoranda of Reply to the Committee Report on Warm Homes – Tackling Fuel Poverty and the Committee Report on Shared Services for Efficiency – A Progress Report.
Members considered the Memoranda of Reply (MOR).
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Department for further clarification on a number of issues in relation to the MOR on Warm Homes – Tackling Fuel Poverty.
2.37pm Mr Dallat joined the meeting.
6. National Fraud Initiative update.
The Committee received an update on the National Fraud Initiative from Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Ms Janet Sides, Assistant Auditor General, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager. The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
Agreed: Members agreed to ask for a further update in 12 months.
7. Forward Work Programme.
Members considered the forward work programme for April to July 2009.
Agreed: Members agreed that on 18 June 2009 the Committee would take evidence on the NIAO report ‘Review of Assistance to Valance Technology: A Case Study on Inward Investment’.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee Report on North/South Bodies would be delayed and published simultaneously with the Dáil Committee of Public Accounts report later in the year.
Agreed: Members agreed that they would hold an informal meeting with the Dáil Committee of Public Accounts at the beginning of September 2009.
8. Issues arising from the evidence session on the NIAO report ‘Control of Bovine Tuberculosis in Northern Ireland’.
Mr Beggs declared an interest in that his father owns a herd of cattle.
Mr Shannon declared an interest as he is a member of the Ulster Farmers Union.
Members discussed and agreed the issues paper.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Ulster Farmers Union to ask for if they have any further comments, over and above those already forwarded to the NIAO, in relation to the control of bovine tuberculosis.
9. Consideration of the Committee’s Draft Report on the PFI Contract for Northern Ireland’s New Vehicle Testing Facilities.
Members considered the draft report paragraph by paragraph.
The Committee considered the main body of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 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.
Paragraph 20 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 21 – 23 read and agreed.
Paragraph 24 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 25 – 29 read and agreed.
Paragraph 30 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 31 and 32 read and agreed.
Paragraph 33 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 34 – 39 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 40 – 42 read and agreed.
Paragraph 43 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 44 read and agreed
The Committee considered the Executive Summary.
Paragraphs 1 and 2 read and agreed.
Paragraph 3 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 4 – 9 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 the Environment, and Treasury Officer of Accounts (TOA), Department of Finance and Personnel, together with the responses from the Accounting Officer, Department of the Environment, and TOA, will also be included in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members agreed the report would be embargoed until 00.01am on Thursday, 23 April 2009.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Clerk would arrange with the Press Office, a televised interview with the Chairperson and members to launch the report. The interview will take place in the Newtownards Vehicle Testing Centre, on Thursday, 23 April 2009.
10. Press release.
Members considered and agreed the press release, with amendments, in relation to the launch of the Committee Report on the PFI Contract for Northern Ireland’s New Vehicle Testing Facilities.
11. Any other business.
Members discussed correspondence from the Accounting Officer, Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) in relation to Recommendation 20 of the Committee’s Report on the Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland.
Agreed: Members agreed that the report provided by the Accounting Officer, DEL would be laid in the Assembly library.
Members considered Recommendation 37 of the Committee’s Report on the Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland.
Agreed: Members also agreed to ask for an update on Recommendation 37 and to draw this recommendation to the attention of the OFMDFM Committee.
12. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 30 April 2009 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.05pm.