PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr John O’Dowd (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
In Attendance:
Mr Jim Beatty (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Nicola Shephard (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Ricky Shek (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Patsy McGlone
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
- The Chairperson informed members that Mr Dallat had another meeting to attend and it was agreed that Mr Dallat would question the witnesses after Mr Lunn.
2.01pm Ms Purvis joined the meeting.
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Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2.02pm Mr Craig joined the meeting.
- The Chairperson welcomed Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) and Mr Ciaran Doran, Deputy Treasury Officer of Accounts (Deputy TOA), to the meeting.
Evidence on the NIAO Report ‘Social Security Benefit Fraud and Error’.
The Committee took oral evidence on the NIAO report ‘Social Security Benefit Fraud and Error’ from Mr Alan Shannon, Accounting Officer, Department for Social Development, Mr Bryan Davis, Chief Executive, Social Security Agency (SSA), and Mr John Nevin, Assistant Director of Disability, Incapacity and Security, SSA.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
Members requested that the witnesses should provide additional information to the Clerk on some issues raised during the evidence session.
4.10pm The evidence session finished.
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Minutes of previous meetings.
Agreed: The minutes for the meetings on 7 February 2008 and 14 February 2008 were agreed.
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Forward Work Programme.
Members considered amendments to the forward work programme for April to July 2008.
Agreed: Members agreed that the meetings scheduled for 1 May and 8 May 2008 would each be brought forward one week to 24 April and 1 May 2008. Members agreed that there would not be a meeting on 8 May 2008.
Agreed: Members agreed to hold the meeting on 1 May 2008 outside Parliament Buildings and that the Clerk would bring details of locations in various areas to next week’s meeting.
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Matters arising.
The Chairperson informed members that a response from the Accounting Officer, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, was due to be forwarded tomorrow.
- Any other business.
None.
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Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.12pm.