PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 27 MAY 2010
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
The Lord Browne
Mr John Dallat
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Patsy McGlone
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr Jim Shannon
In Attendance:
Miss Aoibhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Phil Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Miss Danielle Best (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Stephen Moutray
2:02 pm The clerk to the Committee briefed members that due to the absence of a Chairperson a Temporary Chairperson would need to be nominated.
In the absence of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson, Mr John Dallat was nominated to assume the role of Temporary Chairperson by Mr Trevor Lunn.
This was seconded by Mr Patsy McGlone and agreed to by The Lord Browne and Ms Dawn Purvis.
2:05 pm Duly elected Temporary Chairperson, Mr Dallat took the Chair.
2:06 pm the meeting opened in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are listed above.
2. Minutes of meeting held on 20 May 2010
Agreed: The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
3. Matters arising
Correspondence from DFP
The Committee noted correspondence from DFP relating to the Annual Fraud Report for 2008 – 2009.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to clarify some information contained in the report with the C&AG.
Correspondence from the Committee of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister providing an update of the Department’s progress against recommendations 27 and 38 in the previous Committee report on ‘Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland: A Case Study in Financial Management and the Public Appointments Process.’
Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite Mrs. Felicity Huston, Commissioner for Public Appointments to a future meeting.
Correspondence from Manor Healthcare Ltd and Positive Futures
The Committee noted correspondence from Eoighain King, Director Manor Healthcare Ltd and Agnes Lunny, Chief Executive, Positive Futures relating to the recent Committee report on ‘The Resettlement of Long Stay Patients from Learning Disability Hospitals.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward both pieces of correspondence to the Committee for Health, Social Service and Public Safety and the Committee for Social Development for their consideration.
Correspondence from Dundonald Green Belt Association
The Committee noted correspondence from Mr Peter Carr, Chairman, Dundonald Greenbelt Association relating to contentious planning application on 5 acres of land owned by the South Eastern and Social Care Trust.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this to the Committee for the Environment for its consideration.
Correspondence from the Committee for Employment and Learning
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Employment and Learning relating to the previous Committee report on ‘The Review of New Deal 25+’.
2:20 pm Mr McGlone left the meeting.
2:26 pm Mr McGlone entered the meeting.
4. Briefing session on Data Sharing
Mr Ken MacDonald, Assistant Commissioner for Northern Ireland and Scotland, Information Commissioners Office and Ms Catherine Vint, Senior Complaints Offer, Information Commissioners Office briefed the Committee on the issue of data sharing.
2:26 pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
3:04 pm The meeting went into closed session.
5. Press Release – Report on ‘Transforming Land Registers: The LandWeeb Project’
The Committee considered the draft press release to accompany the Committee’s report on ‘Transforming Land Register: the LandWeb Project’.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the press release and that a media pre-brief by members, subject to availability, would accompany the launch of the report.
3:10 pm Mr Shannon left the meeting.
6. Issues arising from the oral evidence session on NIAO report ‘Campsie Office Accommodation and Synergy e-Business Incubator’.
3:12 pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting.
The Committee considered an issues paper from the oral evidence session on the NIAO report on ‘Campsie Office Accommodation and Synergy e-Business Incubator’.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the issues contained in the paper as discussed.
7. Any other business
Mr McGlone detailed a query relating to the ePIC project.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider this item at its meeting on 3 June 2010 as it coincided with an item of business on the next agenda.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Regional Development relating to the Committee’s proposed forthcoming evidence session on 1 July 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to conduct the evidence session on 1 July 2010 as proposed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider the Committee’s forward work programme for the autumn at its meeting on 3 June 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that meeting packs for the meeting on 3 June 2010 should be distributed on Tuesday 1 June 2010 due to the bank holiday on 31 May 2010.
10. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 3 June 2010 at 2:00 pm in the Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Temporary Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3:22 pm.