Audit Committee
Minutes of Proceedings - 2 March 2022
Audit Committee Minutes - 02 March 2022.pdf (107.83 kb)
Audit Committee
Minutes of Proceedings
2 March 2022
Meeting Location: Virtual Meeting via Starleaf
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Mr Daniel McCrossan MLA (Chairperson)
Mr William Irwin MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jim Allister MLA
Mr Alan Chambers MLA
Apologies: None.
In Attendance by Video or Teleconference:
Ms Marie Austin (Clerk to the Committee)
Ms Karen Barry (Assistant Clerk)
Ms Alison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)
Agreed: The Committee agreed to commence the meeting at 10.01am in closed session.
1. Apologies
As noted above.
2. Declaration of Interests
No interests were declared.
3. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 16 February 2022.
4. Comptroller and Auditor General Salary Arrangements
Jonathan McMillen, Assembly Legal Adviser, joined the meeting at 10:04am.
The Committee noted a response from the Minister of Finance confirming that he is content to recommend, in line with section 63 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Audit Committee motion relating to the salary of the Comptroller and Auditor General, as agreed by the Committee on 16 February 2022.
The Committee considered correspondence received on 22 February 2022, from the C&AG, regarding his remuneration arrangements and asking the Committee to reconsider its decision of 16 February 2022, that an increase in the salary of the C&AG should take effect from 1 April 2021.
The Committee considered whether a retrospective salary increase should be applied with regard to the C&AG’s salary for a period before 1 April 2021.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that a retrospective salary increase should be applied from the beginning of the current Assembly mandate to 31 March 2021, to bring the C&AG’s salary into line with that approved by the United Kingdom Government for a judge in salary group 5 for that period.
Agreed: The Committee agreed a motion to be tabled in the Business Office, subject to a recommendation by the Minister of Finance under section 63 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to include a recommendation in its Legacy Report that its successor conducts a review of the arrangements for determining the C&AG’s salary in the future.
The Chairperson thanked the Legal Adviser for his attendance.
Jim Allister left the meeting at 10.26am
5. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next Audit Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday 16 March 2022, at 12.40pm.
The meeting was adjourned at 10.27am.
Daniel McCrossan MLA
Chairperson, Audit Committee
16 March 2022
