PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 11 MARCH 2010
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Trevor Lunn
Ms Dawn Purvis
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 David Hilditch
2:03 pm the meeting opened in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are listed above.
2:04 pm Ms Purvis entered the meeting.
2:05 pm Mr Beggs entered the meeting.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 4 March 2010.
Agreed: The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
3. Matters arising
Correspondence from DFP
Members noted correspondence from Ms Fiona Hamill, Treasury Officer of Accounts, Department of Finance and Personnel providing an update to the Committee on her recent meeting with the Permanent Secretaries Group.
Agreed: Members agreed to request further information from the Department and to write to the Business Committee and CLG.
Correspondence from the Northern Ireland Audit Office
Members noted correspondence from Mr Kieran Donnelly, Comptroller and Auditor General, Northern Ireland Audit Office in response to a letter received and subsequently forwarded to the Audit Office for investigation by the Committee from Mr Peter Carr, Dundonald Green Belt Association relating to the leasing of land to Knock Golf Club by the South Eastern and Social Care Trust.
2:26 pm Mr Donaldson entered the meeting.
2:36 pm Mr Craig entered the meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed acknowledge Mr Carr’s letter in writing and to detail the options available.
4. Northern Ireland audit Office – Excess Vote 2008-09
The Committee were briefed by the C&AG on the issue of Excess Votes.
Agreed: Members agreed to consider the draft report on Excess Votes in closed session.
2:44 pm Mr Shannon left the meeting.
5. Briefing on NIAO Report ‘Transforming Land Registers: The LandWeb Project’.
Mr Kieran Donnelly, C&AG, Mr Brandon McMaster, Director; and Mr Sean Beattie, Audit Manager; briefed the Committee on the report.
2:46 pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting.
2:47 pm Mr Dallat left the meeting.
2:50 pm the meeting went into closed session.
The C&AG continued to brief members in private session.
3:00 pm Ms Purvis left the meeting.
3:02 pm Mr Dallat entered the meeting.
3:03 pm Mr Shannon left the meeting.
3:05 pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting.
3:14 pm Mr McGlone left the meeting.
3:25 pm Mr Donaldson left the meeting.
3:27 pm Mr Donaldson entered the meeting.
3:30 pm Mr Dallat left the meeting.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by members.
6. Consideration of the Draft Committee Report on ’Excess Votes ( Northern Ireland) 2008-09’.
Members considered the draft Committee Report on Excess Votes page by page.
Pages 1 – 6 read and agreed.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
7. Consideration of the Draft Committee Report on ‘The Review of the Gateway Process’.
Paragraphs 1 – 18 read and agreed.
3:44 pm Mr Dallat entered the meeting.
Paragraph 19 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 20 read and agreed.
Paragraph 21 read and agreed subject to the inclusion of a foot-note in the report.
Paragraph 22 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 23 – 24 read and agreed.
Consideration of the Executive Summary
Paragraphs 1 – 9 read and agreed subject to the amendments agreed to in the main report.
Agreed: Members agreed to include the correspondence received in the report.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the report would be embargoed until 00.01 am on Thursday, 22 April 2010.
Agreed: Members agreed to launch the report with a press release to be agreed at a later meeting.
8. Consideration of the Draft Committee Report on the ‘Management of Personal Injury Claims’.
3:48 pm Mr Shannon left the meeting.
3:58 pm Mr Dallat left the meeting.
4:01 pm Mr Dallat entered the meeting.
Paragraphs 1 – 5 read and agreed.
Paragraph 6 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 7 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 8 – 9 read amended and agreed.
Paragraph 10 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 11- 12 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 13 – 18 read and agreed.
Paragraph 19 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 20 read and agreed.
Paragraph 21 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 22 – 28 read and agreed.
Consideration of the Executive Summary
Paragraphs 1 – 8 read and agreed subject to the amendments agreed to in the main report.
Agreed: Members agreed to include the correspondence received in the report.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the report would be embargoed until 00.01 am on Thursday, 22 April 2010.
Agreed: Members agreed to launch the report with a press release to be agreed at a later meeting.
9. Any other business
The Chairperson told members of a request from the Treasury Officer of Accounts to share with colleagues a copy of the Data Sharing Research commissioned by the Committee.
Agreed: Members agreed to provide a copy of the research paper.
10. Date, time and venue of the next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 18 March 2010 at 2:00 pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
4:18 pm the Chairperson adjourned the meeting.