Minutes of Proceedings of the twenty fourth meeting
of the Public Accounts Committee
held in the Senate Chamber Parliament Buildings
on Wednesday 26^th June 2002

1. Evidence Session on Repayment of Community Regeneration Loans
2. Clearance of PAC Draft Report and Press Release on "Indicators of Educational Performance and Provision"
3. Clearance of PAC Draft Report and Press Release on "Internal Frauds in the Local Enterprise Development Unit"
4. Events Company Report
5. Northern Ireland Tourist Board
6. Extra Meeting

Members Present:
Mr B Bell (Chairman)
Ms Armitage
Mr Beggs
Mr Carrick
Mr Close
Mr Hilditch
Mr McClelland
Ms Ramsey

Apologies:
Mr Dallat
Mr McClelland
Mr O'Connor

In Attendance:
Mr M Rickard (Committee Clerk)
Mr J Campbell (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Ms C Angelone

The Chairman commenced proceedings by welcoming Mr Hunter, Accounting Officer of the Department for Social Development, Mr John Dowdall, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Mr David Thomson, Treasury Officer of Accounts (TOA), and their teams to the meeting.

Following the introduction by the Chairman, evidence was taken from Mr Hunter and his team on the two NIAO Reports.

Mr John Dowdall, Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) was further examined

Draft Report (Indicators of Educational Performance and Provision) proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

Ordered, that the draft Report be read a third time, paragraph by paragraph.

Paras 1 to 3 read and agreed to

Paras 4 to 5.14 postponed

Paras 6 to 23 read and agreed to

Paras 4 to 5.14 read and agreed

The press release should be issued in the form submitted, subject to addition proposed by members.

Mr John Dowdall, Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) was further examined

Draft Report (Internal Frauds in the Local Enterprise Development Unit) proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

Ordered, that the draft Report be read, paragraph by paragraph.

Paras 1 to 2 read and agreed to

Para 3 read and agreed subject to amendment

Para 4 read and agreed to

Paras 5.1 to 5.30 postponed

Paras 6 to 8 read and agreed to

Para 9 read and agreed subject to amendment

Paras 10 to 11 read and agreed to

Para 12 read and agreed subject to amendment

Paras 13 to 23 read and agreed to

Para 24 read and agreed subject to amendment

Paras 25 to 27 read and agreed to

Para 28 read and agreed subject to amendment

Paras 29 to 38 read and agreed to

Para 39 read and agreed subject to amendment

Paras 40 to 55 read and agreed to

Paras 56 and 57 read and agreed subject to amendment

Paras 58 to 61 read and agreed to

Para 62 read and agreed subject to amendment.

Paras 5.1 to 5.30 read and agreed subject to changes to reflect amendments in paras 6 to 62

The press release should be issued in the form submitted, subject to minor amendment proposed by the Committee.

The draft correspondence, requested at the meeting of 19^th June 2002, should be issued to the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (CAL) seeking further information.

Members discussed and amended the contents of a draft letter, seeking additional information from the Departmental Accounting Officer.

The amended letter should be issued.

Given the need to set the Committee's timetable for the next session, the Chairman proposed to hold one more meeting pre-recess.

A meeting will be held in the Senate Chamber at 1:30pm on Thursday 4^th July.

The meeting was drawn to a close at 12.45pm.