Minutes of proceedings of the fourteenth meeting of the
Public Accounts Committee held in the Stormont Hotel
on Thursday 14^th December 2000

1. Apologies
2. Presentation by Dr Andrew McCormick
3. Presentation by Mr John Dowdall, Comptroller and Auditor General
4. Future Programme of Work
5. Any Other Business

Present:
Mr B Bell (Chairman)
Ms P Armitage
Mr R Beggs
Mr M Carrick
Mr S Close
Mr J Dallat
Mr D Hilditch
Mr D McClelland
Ms J Morrice
Ms S Ramsey

In Attendance:
Mr M Rickard (Committee Clerk)
Mr J Campbell (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Miss L Tracey

Prior to commencement of business, the Chairman welcomed Dr Andrew McCormick, the Treasury Officer of Accounts and Mr. Dowdall, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), and his staff. He then proceeded to outline the objectives of the meeting as:

1. To review the progress to date of the Committee; and
2. To agree the way forward for the Committee, including the Future Work Programme

Following this introduction, the Chairperson turned to the order of business.

No apologies were received.

Dr McCormick gave a presentation to the committee on its progress to date. This was followed by a lively Question and Answer Session.

Following this session, the Chairman thanked Dr McCormick for his contribution not only to the meeting but also to the PAC process to date. Dr McCormick then left the meeting.

Following Dr McCormick's presentation, Mr Dowdall was invited to give a presentation on the progress made to date by the Committee from the Audit Office perspective.

The Committee was presented with the reports, both financial and VFM, which had been completed by the Audit Office. Following discussion, the future work programme for the Committee was agreed:

February 2001 Health and Personal Social Services - Executive Directors' and Senior Managers' Pay (HC 396)

Health Executive Director's Contracts and Termination Settlement (NIA1/00)

March 2001 Structural Maintenance of Roads (NIA 15)

Management of On Street Parking (NIA 24/00)

May 2001 School Inspection in Northern Ireland (HC 636)

Pay Flexibilities for School Principals and Vice-Principals (NIA 16/00)

June 2001 Fire Authority for Northern Ireland: Fleet Management (NIA 9)

Issues arising from inspection audit of Fire Authority

Following the establishment of the Future Work Programme, Mr Moore, Mr Jones, Mr Edgar and Mr Hutcheson from the Audit Office gave a flavour of the forthcoming reports which are likely to be published in the first half of 2001.

It was agreed that the next meeting of the Committee would be on Wednesday 10^th January in Room 152, Parliament Buildings, commencing at 10:30am.

The meeting was then drawn to a close at 3:36pm