Minutes of Proceedings of the twenty-fifth meeting of the Public Accounts Committee held in Room 152, Parliament Buildings on Wednesday 19th June 2001
Present:
Mr B Bell (Chairman)
Ms S Ramsey
Mr R Beggs
Mr M Carrick
Mr S Close
Ms J Morrice
Apologies
Ms P Armitage
Mr J Dallat
Mr D Hilditch
Mr D McClelland
Mr D O'Connor
In Attendance:
Mr M Rickard (Committee Clerk)
Mr J Campbell (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr C McCrory
Ms C Angelone
1. Introduction
The Chairman commenced proceedings by welcoming Mr. Dowdall, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) and his staff to the meeting. He then proceeded to outline the objectives of the meeting as:
- To be briefed on the NIAO Reports on the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland - Fleet Management (NIA 9) and Issues arising from the inspection audits of the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland Accounts 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
- To agree the draft minutes of the meetings of 16.05.01;
- To agree the draft PAC Report on Structural Maintenance of Roads and the Management of On-Street Parking
- To agree the action to be taken following receipt of various responses to Committee correspondence
Following this introduction, the Chairman turned to the order of business.
- Apologies
Apologies were received from Ms P Armitage, Mr J Dallat, Mr D Hilditch, Mr D McClelland and Mr D O'Connor
-
The C&AG gave a brief outline on what he considered to be the main conclusions drawn from the Reports. Following the C&AG's introduction, Mr Jones and Mr Moore gave presentations which detailed the main issues in the Reports. Following the presentation they addressed a number of queries raised by the members.
They also outlined the type of questions to be asked in order to draw out conclusions and recommendations for the subsequent PAC Report.
- Minutes from Meeting of 14 March 2001
Agreed
The minutes were an accurate record of the previous meeting.
- Draft Report on Structural Maintenance of Roads and Management of On-Street Parking
Following the issue of the draft report to all members, the Committee discussed its content
Mr John Dowdall, Comptroller and Auditor General, was further examined.
The Committee deliberated.
Draft Report (Structural Maintenance of Roads and Management of On-Street Parking) proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.
Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.
Introduction read and agreed to
Part I
Para 1 to 2 read and agreed to.
Para 3.1 to 4 postponed
Para 7 to 21 read and agreed to
Para 3.1 to 4 read and agreed to
Part II
Para 1 to 2 read and agreed to
Para 3.1 to 4 postponed
Para 5 to 12 read and agreed to
Para 3.1 to 4 read and agreed to
Following approval of the draft report, the draft press releases were agreed.
6. The Irish Sport Horse Genetic Testing Unit Ltd
Following the Evidence Session of 24/05/01, the Committee Members were each issued a letter from Mr Small (Accounting Officer, DARD) highlighting the error he had made in the evidence he gave to the Committee on 24/01/01 concerning the appointment of public officials to private sector organisations. The Clerk also raised the ongoing articles in the press concerning the wind-up of the project and the transfer of assets.
Agreed
The Accounting Officer should be called back to the Committee to question him further on this project.
- Forward Work Programme
Prior to the meeting, the C&AG provided a list of all Audit Office Reports that have not yet been dealt with by the Committee, together with reports which are due to be published in the near future. A discussion ensued in order to determine the future work programme
Agreed
The following reports are to be taken following Summer Recess
September 2001 Brucellosis Outbreak at the Agricultural Research Institute (to be published September 2001)
October 2001 Road Openings by Utilities (NIA 35/00)
November 2001 Pathology Laboratory Services (NIA 31/00)
- Grants to Voluntary Bodies
The C&AG informed the Committee that he hoped to carry out a short study in the near future on Grants to Voluntary Bodies. He therefore sought advice from members on their expectations from such a review, given that many members had experience in this field. Ideas were exchanged and the C&AG agreed to take on board the members' comments during the study.
- Any Other Business
Correspondence
Following on from the meeting of 16.05.01, the Chairman informed the Committee that responses have been drafted to the replies received from the Accounting Officers on matters raised in the Appropriation Account Volume 1999-2000. These were circulated prior to the meeting.
Agreed
To issue the draft letters to the Accounting Officers.
Suspension of Business for 15 minutes (12:15pm to 12:30pm) due to Division in the House.
PAC Visit
As discussed during the meeting of 16.05.01, the Chairman confirmed that the PAC from Dublin would be arriving on Tuesday 26th June. They have been invited for dinner in the Private Members Dining Room at 8:00pm that evening and all members were encouraged to attend.
They will then be attending the hearing the following day and will also be invited to lunch in the Private Members Dining Room following the session.
Evidence Session
Members were reminded that the next Evidence Session will be on Wednesday 27th June 2001 in the Senate Chamber and all members were requested to arrive by 10:20am.
The meeting was then drawn to a close at 12:45pm
B Bell
Committee Chairman
5 September 2001
