PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 7 JANUARY 2010
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Jim Shannon
In Attendance:
Ms Aoibhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Phil Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Miss Danielle Best (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr John Dallat
Ms Dawn Purvis
The meeting opened at 2.05 pm in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are listed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 10 December 2009
Agreed: The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
3. Matters arising
Correspondence from the Department for Social Development
Member noted correspondence from Mr Alan Shannon, Accounting Officer, Department for Social Development providing an update on the progress to the commitments undertaken by the Department in relation to a previous Committee report on ‘Warm Homes: Tackling Fuel Poverty’.
Agreed: Members agreed to forward this item to the Committee for Social Development for its consideration.
Correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel
Members noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel relating to the accreditation of Centres of Procurement Expertise.
Correspondence from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
Members noted the holding response from OFMDFM which relates to a previous request for further information re HANI by the Committee.
2:15 pm Mr Lunn entered the meeting.
Correspondence from the Department of Finance and Personnel
Members noted correspondence from Mr Stephen Peover, Accounting Officer, Department of Finance and Personnel providing an update to the commitments undertaken by the Department relating to the previous Committee report on ‘Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland’.
Agreed: Members agreed to commission a research paper in relation to comparative approaches to data sharing and then to invite the Treasury Officer of Accounts to brief the Committee on this issue.
Correspondence from the Department of Finance and Personnel
Members noted correspondence from Mr David Thomson, Treasury Officer of Accounts, Department of Finance and Personnel relating to a MOR on the previous Committee report on ‘The Investigation of Suspected Contract Fraud’.
Agreed: Members agreed to invite the Treasury Officer of Accounts to future meetings when the Committee requires additional advice re the content of a governmental MOR.
Correspondence from the Committee for Employment and Learning
Members noted correspondence from the Committee for Employment and Learning which provides an update on the outstanding recommendations from the previous Committee report on the ‘Springvale Educational Village Project’.
Correspondence from the Department for Employment and Learning
Members noted correspondence from Mrs Catherine Bell, Acting Accounting Officer, Department for Employment and Learning providing further background information relating to the previous Committee report on ‘Review of New Deal 25+’.
4. Notice of Ministerial Direction
Members noted correspondence from Mr Kieran Donnelly, Comptroller and Auditor General, Northern Ireland Audit Office informing the Committee of a Ministerial Direction issued by the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
5. Consideration of the Northern Ireland Audit Office Supplementary Estimates
Members noted the Supplementary Estimate submitted by the Northern Ireland Audit Office in relation to the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards.
2:35 pm The meeting went into closed session.
6. Briefing on the NIAO Report on ‘The Pre-School Education Expansion Programme’
Mr Kieran Donnelly, C&AG, Mr Sean McKay, Director; and Mr Brian Gardiner, Audit Manager; briefed the Committee on the report.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by members.
7. Consideration of the Draft Committee Report on ‘The Performance of the Health Service’
Paragraphs 1 – 5 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 6 – 9 read amended and agreed.
Paragraph 10 read and agreed.
3:04 pm Mr Craig left the meeting.
3:05 pm The Chairperson declared an interest as a result of an immediate family member being employed by Sure Start.
3:05 pm Mr Beggs declared an interest as a committee member for Sure Start.
3:06 pm Mr Craig entered the meeting.
3:07 pm Mr Donaldson entered the meeting.
Paragraphs 11 – 14 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 15 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 16 – 18 read and agreed.
Paragraph 19 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 20 – 22 read and agreed.
Paragraph 23 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 24 – 26 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 27 – 28 read, amended and agreed.
3:24 pm Mr McGlone entered the meeting.
Paragraphs 29 -34 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 35 – 36 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 37 Members agreed to defer for further consideration.
Paragraph 38 read, amended and agreed.
3:55 pm Mr Craig left the meeting.
3:57 pm Mr Hilditch left the meeting.
Paragraphs 39 – 42 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 43 – 45 Members agreed to defer for further consideration.
4:10 pm Mr Shannon left the meeting.
Paragraph 46 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 47 – 48 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 49 – 50 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 51 – 52 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 53 – 54 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 55 – 56 Members agreed to defer for further consideration.
Paragraphs 57 – 58 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 59 – 61 Paragraphs read, amended and agreed.
Consideration of the Executive Summary
Paragraphs 1 – 6 read and agreed subject to the amendments agreed to in the main report.
Agreed: Members agreed to consider paragraphs 37 & 43 – 45 in due course.
Agreed: Members agreed to delay the launch of the report until the consideration of the above paragraphs has been completed.
8. Any other business
There was no other business.
9. Date, time and venue of the next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 14 January 2010 at 2:00 pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4:50 pm.