Minutes of Proceedings of the twenty fourth meeting of the Public Accounts Committee held in the Senate Chamber Parliament Buildings on Wednesday 26th June 2002
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
Open Session
1. Evidence Session on Repayment of Community Regeneration Loans (NIA 59/01)and Belfast Action Teams: Investigations into Suspected Fraud within the Former Suffolk Action Team (NI 72/00).
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.
Closed Session
2. Clearance of PAC Draft Report and Press Release on "Indicators of Educational Performance and Provision"
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
Agreed.
The press release should be issued in the form submitted, subject to addition proposed by members.
3. Clearance of PAC Draft Report and Press Release on "Internal Frauds in the Local Enterprise Development Unit"
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
Agreed.
The press release should be issued in the form submitted, subject to minor amendment proposed by the Committee.
4. Events Company Report
Agreed
The draft correspondence, requested at the meeting of 19th June 2002, should be issued to the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (CAL) seeking further information.
5. Northern Ireland Tourist Board
Members discussed and amended the contents of a draft letter, seeking additional information from the Departmental Accounting Officer.
Agreed
The amended letter should be issued.
6. Extra Meeting
Given the need to set the Committee's timetable for the next session, the Chairman proposed to hold one more meeting pre-recess.
Agreed
A meeting will be held in the Senate Chamber at 1:30pm on Thursday 4th July.
The meeting was drawn to a close at 12.45pm.
B Bell
Committee Chairman
4th July 2002
