PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 10 April 2008
Room 144, 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
In Attendance:
Mr Jim Beatty (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Apologies:
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 3 April 2008.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed, with a minor amendment.
3. Matters arising.
The Committee noted that the Tynwald Public Accounts Committee from Isle of Man will visit Parliament Buildings on 1 May 2008.
Agreed: Members agreed that they would meet with the Committee for lunch in the Commonwealth Room on 1 May 2008.
4. Consideration of Memorandum of Response on the Committee’s Report on Tackling Public Sector Fraud.
Members considered the response to the Committee’s Report on Tackling Public Sector Fraud. The witness attending was Mr John Dowdall CB, Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG).
Agreed: Members agreed that the Clerk would check the wording of Recommendation 3.
Agreed: Members agreed to obtain an update on the progress against the Department’s response to the Committee’s recommendation in due course.
2.12pm The meeting went into closed session.
5. Briefing on the NIAO report ‘Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland’.
Members considered a letter relating to the NIAO report from Mr Basil McCrea MLA.
Agreed: Members noted the letter.
Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Robert Hutcheson, Director of Value for Money, Mr Alan Orme, Audit Manager, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, briefed the Committee on the NIAO Report, ‘Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland’ (HANI), and answered members’ questions.
Agreed: Members agreed that at next week’s evidence session they would first question the witnesses on HANI and secondly on the NI Events Company, and that the Chairperson will take the initial questions to the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
6. Consideration of the Committee’s Draft Report on Social Security Benefit Fraud and Error.
Members considered the draft report paragraph by paragraph. The witnesses attending were Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG, Mr Brandon McMaster, Director of Value for Money, Mr David Murdie, Audit Manager, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, NIAO.
The Committee considered the main body of the report.
Paragraphs 1 – 16 read and agreed.
Paragraph 17 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 18 - 23 read and agreed.
Paragraph 24 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 25 and 26 read and agreed.
Paragraph 27 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 28 read and agreed.
Paragraph 29 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 30 – 32 read and agreed.
Paragraph 33 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 34 – 36 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 37 – 39 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 40 and 41 read and agreed.
Paragraph 42 read, amended and agreed.
3.39pm Mr Hilditch left the meeting.
Paragraphs 43 and 44 read and agreed.
Paragraph 45 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 46 – 52 read and agreed.
Paragraph 53 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 54 and 55 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 56 – 60 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 61 read and agreed.
Paragraph 62 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 63 read and agreed.
Paragraph 64 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 65 – 68 read and agreed.
The Committee considered the Executive Summary of the report.
Paragraph 1 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 2 - 6 read and agreed.
Paragraph 7 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 8 – 10 read and agreed.
Paragraph 11 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 12 – 14 read and agreed.
Paragraph 15 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 16 read and agreed.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson’s letter requesting additional information and the response from the Accounting Officer, Department for Social Development, would be included in the Committee’s report.
Agreed: Members agreed to embargo the report until 00.01am on 29 April 2008, when the report would be officially released.
Agreed: Members agreed that they would not hold a press conference.
7. Any other business.
None.
8. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 17 April 2008 at 2.00pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.06pm.