PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 04 NOVEMBER 2010
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA
Mr John Dallat
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Adrian McQuillan
Mr Stephen Moutray
Ms Dawn Purvis

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 Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr William Irwin
Mr Trevor Lunn

2:08 pm The meeting opened in public session .

1. Apologies.

Apologies are listed above.

2. Minutes of the meeting on 21 October 2010

Agreed: The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.

2:10 pm Mr McGlone entered the meeting.

3. Matters arising

Correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel

Members noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel providing an update on the number of Post-Project Evaluations that are outstanding.

Correspondence from the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland

Members noted correspondence from the Chair of the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland requesting a copy of correspondence sent to the Committee by a former employee.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek legal advice if required on this request and to return to this item in due course.

Correspondence from the Department of Finance and Personnel

Members noted correspondence from Ms Fiona Hamill, Treasury Officer of Accounts, Department of Finance and Personnel addressing the issues highlighted by the Committee when it considered the MOR on the ‘Resettlement of Long Stay Patients from Learning Disability Hospitals’.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider a draft response at its meeting week commencing 8 November.

2:22 pm The Committee went into closed session.

4. Issues arising from the oral evidence session on ‘The Management of the Disability Living Allowance reconsideration and Appeals Process’.

Members considered an issues paper from the oral evidence session on ‘The Management of the Disability Living Allowance reconsideration and Appeals Process’.

2:30 pm Mr McQuillan left the meeting.

5. NI Water Correspondence

Correspondence from the Utility Regulator for Northern Ireland

2:35 pm Mr McQuillan entered the meeting.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to defer this item of correspondence until its meeting week commencing 8 November.

2:47pm Mr McGlone left the meeting.

Correspondence from NI Water

Agreed : The Committee agreed to defer this item of correspondence until its meeting week commencing 8 November.

Correspondence from the Department for Regional Development

Agreed : The Committee agreed to defer this item of correspondence until its meeting week commencing 8 November.

Agreed : The Committee agreed that due to the sensitivity of some of the information in the response this part should be retained in the Committee Office.

Correspondence from HOCs

Agreed : The Committee agreed to defer this item of correspondence until its meeting week commencing 8 November.

6. Consideration of the Draft Committee Report on ‘The Management of Substitution Cover for Teachers: Follow-up Report ’.

Paragraphs 1 – 13 read and agreed.

2:49 pm Mr McGlone entered the meeting.

Paragraphs 14 – 46 read and agreed.

Paragraph 47 read, amended and agreed.

Consideration of the Executive Summary

Paragraphs 1 – 9 read and agreed.

Agreed: The Committee agreed the correspondence for inclusion in the report.

Agreed: The Committee ordered the report to be printed.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the report would be embargoed until 00.01 am on Thursday, 25 November 2010.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to launch the report with a press release to be agreed at a later meeting.

7. Consideration of the Draft Committee Report on ‘The Performance of NI Water'.

Paragraphs 1 – 6 read and agreed.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to reconsider a redraft of paragraphs 7 – 11 at its next meeting.

Paragraphs 12 - 14 read and agreed.

Paragraph 15 read, amended and agreed.

Paragraphs 16 – 28 read and agreed.

Paragraph 29 read, amended and agreed.

Paragraphs 30 – 47 read and agreed.

3:05 pm Mr McGlone left the meeting.

3:06 pm Ms Purvis left the meeting.

3:07 pm Ms Purvis entered the meeting.

3:21 pm Mr Campbell left the meeting.

3:29 pm Mr McGlone entered the meeting.

Paragraph 48 read and agreed.

Consideration of the Executive Summary

Paragraphs 1 – 9 read and agreed.

Agreed: Members agreed the correspondence for inclusion in the report.

8. Any other business

Correspondence from a Member of the Public

Members noted correspondence from a member of the public relating to an employment complaint made against the Assembly Commission.

3:22 pm Mr McGlone left the meeting.

9. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 11 November 2010 at 2:00 pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3:31 pm.

Mr Paul Maskey
Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee
11 November 2010.

21 October 10 / Menu