PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr John O’Dowd (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
In Attendance:
Mrs Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Mr Jim Beatty (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Nicola Shephard (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Ricky Shek (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr Patsy McGlone
Ms Dawn Purvis
The meeting opened at 2.03pm in public session.
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Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
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Minutes of the meeting on 7 February 2008.
Agreed: The minutes will be amended to note the letter which a member brought to the attention of the Committee on 7 February 2008.
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Matters arising.
The Committee noted correspondence from Mr David Thomson, Treasury Officer of Accounts, explaining that the Memorandum of Response (MOR) relating to recommendations in the Committee’s Report on Transfer of Surplus Land in the PFI Education Pathfinder Projects, due to be published on 13 February 2008, might be delayed.
A member wished to record that it is a matter of regret that the MOR will not be published by the due date.
Agreed: Members agreed that they were content that the MOR is published and forwarded to the Committee in time to be considered at its meeting on 28 February 2008.
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Briefing on the NIAO Report ‘Social Security Benefit Fraud and Error’.
Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG, declared an interest as his wife worked for the Social Security Agency as a temporary part-time accountant for a few months last year.
2.10pm Mr Hamilton joined the meeting.
Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG, Mr Brandon McMaster, Director of Value for Money, and Mr David Murdie, Audit Manager, briefed the Committee on the NIAO Report, ‘Social Security Benefit Fraud and Error’, and answered members’ questions.
2.19pm The meeting went into closed session.
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Correspondence.
Members noted a letter from the Craigavon Trades Council in relation to the evidence on the NIAO report ‘Job Evaluation in the Education and Library Boards’. Members discussed the recall of witnesses from previous evidence sessions to give further information to the Committee.
Agreed: Members agreed a response to the letter and to forward the letter to the Education Committee.
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Consideration of the Committee’s Draft Report on Northern Ireland Resource Accounts – Northern Ireland Child Support Agency Client Funds Account 2003-04 – 2006-07.
Members considered the draft report paragraph by paragraph. The witnesses attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Ms Colette Kane, Director of Value for Money, Ms Kathy Doey, Audit Manager, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, NIAO.
The Committee considered the main body of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 4 read and agreed.
Paragraph 5 read, amended and agreed.
3.10pm Mr McCrea joined the meeting.
Paragraphs 6 – 10 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 11 and 12 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 13 – 16 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 17 and 18 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 19 read and agreed.
Paragraph 20 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 21 and 22 read and agreed.
Paragraph 23 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 24 read and agreed.
Paragraph 25 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 26 read and agreed.
Paragraph 27 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 28 read and agreed.
3.29pm Mr Hamilton left the meeting.
Paragraph 29 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 30 read and agreed.
3.33pm Mr Hamilton rejoined the meeting.
Paragraphs 31 and 32 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 33 – 39 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 40 and 41 read, amended and agreed.
The Committee considered the Executive Summary of the report.
Paragraphs1 – 3 read and agreed.
Paragraph 4 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 5 – 9 read and agreed.
Paragraph 10 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 11 read and agreed.
Paragraph 12 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 13 read and agreed.
Paragraph 14 read, amended and agreed.Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson’s letters requesting additional information and the responses from the Accounting Officer, Department for Social Development, and Treasury Officer of Accounts, Department of Finance and Personnel, would be included in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members agreed to embargo the report until 00.01am on 13 March 2008, when the report would be officially released.
Agreed: Members agreed that they would not hold a press conference.
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Any other business.
None.
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Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 21 February 2008 at 2.00pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.52pm.