This Committee has been set up to consider accounts, and reports on accounts laid before the Assembly. The Committee will have the power to send for persons, papers and records and to report from time to time. The Committee Chairperson is Mr Paul Maskey and the Deputy Chairperson is Joe Byrne.
The Public Accounts Committee has returned to the issue of public sector use of external consultants in a report published today. The original report, published in February 2008, recommended a number of improvements for the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP)
Today’s report shows that, while there has been a significant reduction in external consultancy expenditure and improvement in compliance with DFP guidance and good practice, there are still many examples of poor practice across the public sector.