PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 29 May 2008
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr Jim Wells
In Attendance:
Mr Jim Beatty (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Nicola Shepherd (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Supervisor)
Apologies:
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr David Hilditch
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
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The Chairperson welcomed Mr Jim Wells as a member of the Committee . Mr Wells confirmed that his interests are as listed in the Register of Members’ Interests.
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Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
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a) Evidence on the NIAO Report ‘Management of Sickness Absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service’.
The Committee took oral evidence on the NIAO report ‘Management of Sickness Absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service’ from Mr Bruce Robinson, Accounting Officer, Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP), Mr Paul Priestly, Accounting Officer, Department for Regional Development, Mr Derek Baker, Director of Personnel in the NICS, DFP, and Mr John Mallon, Head of Human Resource Consultancy Division in NISRA, DFP.
2.07pm Mr Dallat joined the meeting.
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 as a result of the evidence session.
b) Evidence on the Memorandum of Response: Northern Ireland: The management of industrial sickness absence.
The Committee took oral evidence on some issues arising from written evidence previously supplied to members on the Memorandum of Response: Northern Ireland: The management of industrial sickness absence, from Mr Paul Priestly, Accounting Officer, DRD, Mr Bruce Robinson, Accounting Officer, DFP, Mr Derek Baker, Director of Personnel in the NICS, DFP, and Mr John Mallon, Head of Human Resource Consultancy Division in NISRA, DFP.
4.00pm Mr McLaughlin left the meeting.
4.00pm Mr Lunn left the meeting.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
c) Evidence on the Memorandum of Response: Use of Consultants .
The Committee received clarification on some of the Department’s responses within the Memorandum of Response: Use of Consultants, from Mr Bruce Robinson, Accounting Officer, DFP, Mr Paul Priestly, Accounting Officer, DRD, Mr Derek Baker, Director of Personnel in the NICS, DFP, and Mr John Mallon, Head of Human Resource Consultancy Division in NISRA, DFP.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
4.15pm The evidence session finished and the witnesses left the meeting.
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Minutes of the meeting on 22 May 2008.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
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Matters arising.
None.
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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, 5 June 2008 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.17pm.