PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 17 JANUARY 2008
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
In Attendance:
Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Nicola Shephard (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Gwyneth Deconink (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr John O’Dowd (Chairperson)
Mr Patsy McGlone
Ms Dawn Purvis
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2. The Deputy Chairperson welcomed Mr John Dowdall CB, Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) and Mr David Thomson, Treasury Officer of Accounts (TOA), to the meeting.
3. Mr McLaughlin declared an interest in that an immediate relative is working for the Child Support Agency in Liverpool.
4. Evidence on the NIAO Reports Northern Ireland Resource Accounts – Northern Ireland Child Support Agency Client Funds Account 2003-04 – 2006-07.
The Committee took oral evidence on the NIAO reports Northern Ireland Resource Accounts – Northern Ireland Child Support Agency Client Funds Account 2003-04 – 2006-07 from Mr Alan Shannon, Accounting Officer, Department for Social Development, Mrs Mary Quinn, Chief Executive, Child Support Agency (CSA), and Ms Andrea Orr, Director of Resources, CSA. The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
Members requested that the witnesses should provide additional information on some issues raised during the evidence session to the Clerk.
3.10pm Mr McLaughlin left the meeting.
3.14pm Mr Lunn left the meeting.
3.47pm The evidence session finished and the witnesses left the meeting.
4. Minutes of the meeting on 10 January 2008.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
5. Matters arising.
Members considered a letter from Mr David Thomson, TOA, in response to the Committee’s letter relating to the Memorandum of Response (MoR) to the Report on Springvale Educational Village Project.
Agreed: Members agreed to take no further action on this matter.
6. Chairperson’s business.
The Clerk informed members of a meeting she and the Chairperson had with the Northern Ireland Primary Principals Action Group.
7. Any other business.
The Clerk informed members of a proposed visit by the Isle of Man, Public Accounts Committee.
The Clerk briefed members on an invitation to the Chairperson and the Clerk to attend a meeting at the National Assembly for Wales comprising of Chairpersons and Clerks of Public Accounts Committees in Westminster, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Dublin and Wales.
8. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 24 January 2008 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.55pm.