PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr John O’Dowd (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Ian McCrea
In Attendance:
Mr Jim Beatty (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Nicola Shephard (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Apologies:
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
The meeting opened at 2.06pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 1 May 2008.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
3. Matters arising.
None.
4. Commitments made by Departments to previous Public Accounts Committee.
Members considered the paper detailing commitments made by Departments to previous Public Accounts Committee. NIAO witnesses attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, should be asked to forward the 2007 Business Case for the Fire Authority of Northern Ireland.
2.14pm Mr Hamilton joined the meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment should be asked to provide an explanation as to why the clawback achieved on the land deals in relation to Northern Ireland Electricity fell so far short of the expected amount and the lessons learnt from the transaction.
2.16pm Members agreed that the meeting would go into closed session.
5. Consideration of Memorandum of Response on the Committee’s Report on Use of Consultants.
Members considered the response to the Committee’s Report on Use of Consultants. Witnesses attending were Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy C&AG, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager, NIAO.
2.30pm Mr Burns joined the meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed that on 29 May 2008, when the Accounting Officers from Department of Finance and Personnel, and Department for Regional Development were attending an evidence session, the Committee would raise some issues with them about the Memorandum of Response.
6. Consideration of the Accounting Officer’s update on the Memorandum of Response: The Management of Substitution Cover for Teachers.
Members noted the update from Mr Will Haire, Accounting Officer, Department of Education. Members received briefing on the update from Mr John Dowdall CB, C&AG, Mr Sean McKay, Director of Value for Money, and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager.
2.40pm Mr Dallat joined the meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Northern Ireland Audit Office should compile a report on this issue and that members would take evidence on the completed report.
7. Issues arising from oral evidence session on the NIAO Report ‘Northern Ireland Tourist Board – Contract to Manage the Trading Activities of Rural Cottage Holidays Ltd’.
Members discussed issues relating to the evidence session.
8. Any other business.
The Chairperson informed the meeting that he was leaving the Committee and thanked the Committee staff, C&AG and NIAO staff, and members for their co-operation. The Committee thanked the Chairperson for his contribution to the work of the Committee.
9. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 22 May 2008 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.46pm.