Appendix 5: Other Evidence considered by the Committee
5.1 Northern Ireland Assembly Commission: Response dated 29 October 2021 - Annual Report and Accounts 2020/21
An Ceann Comhairle
Seomra 39
Foirgnimh na Parlaiminte Baile Lios na Scáth Cnoc an Anfa
Béal Feirste, BT4 3XX
Guthán:+44 (0) 28 9052 1130
speakersoffice@niassembly.gov.uk
The Speaker
Room 39 Parliament Buildings
Ballymiscaw Stormont Belfast, BT4 3XX
Tel: +44 (0) 28 9052 1130
email: speakersoffice@niassembly.gov.uk
Daniel McCrossan MLA
Chairperson of the Audit Committee
Room 325
Parliament Buildings
29 October 2021
Daniel a chara,
RE: ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2020-21
I refer to your letter dated 29 September 2021 seeking information/clarification on a number of issues connected with the Assembly Commission’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2020-21.
The Assembly Commission is entirely respectful of the important role which was agreed for the Audit Committee to scrutinise the Assembly Commission’s budget proposals for each financial year, independently from the Executive. I also acknowledge that the Audit Committee is accustomed to asking questions to scrutinise the wider activities and finances of the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) and the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO).
However, it has to be noted that the Audit Committee’s relationship with the Assembly Commission, as agreed, is not the same as that for NIAO and NIPSO. The Assembly Commission has to be particularly mindful of its different statutory base and be respectful of its different accountability structures. These include the fact that:
- The Assembly appoints five Members to provide political authority and oversight to the Assembly Commission (including considering the annual performance against the Assembly Commission’s Corporate Strategy and Corporate Plan);
- The Assembly Commission accounts directly to the Assembly through Question Times and motions, including on the approval of its budget; and
- The Assembly Commission has a Secretariat Audit and Risk Committee with independent members.
Therefore, there is a balance between appreciating that the Audit Committee will have questions from time to time to inform its consideration of the Assembly Commission’s budget on the one hand and operating within the Audit Committee’s agreed role in relation to the Assembly Commission’s budgetary proposals on the other. In that context, I provide some additional information below on your queries:
- Reporting requirements for annual reports and accounts were different this year. As those targets which were either not met or were partially met would ordinarily have been provided in the published document, a list of those targets is provided in Annex A. Issues arising from COVID-19 and other business pressures were the most significant factor that affected performance;
- There was a typographical error on page 10 of the report in relation to 4 out of the 5 targets that were not achieved. The impact of the extended lockdown which was in place from Christmas 2020 to beyond the end of the 2020-21 financial year was not known when the Annual Plan 2020-21 was being devised and directly impacted the Assembly Commission’s ability to deliver a number of actions in the Annual Plan 2020-21;
- In relation to the work being carried out to mitigate the risk of operational failure of the broadcasting infrastructure, the replacement of equipment earlier this year removed a significant element of risk to the broadcasting of the proceedings of the Assembly. The risk to audio failure has been mitigated by the development and testing of a contingency plan;
- The increase in the costs of temporary agency workers was directly related to the level of vacancies that were in place prior to the resumption of Assembly business and the initial inability to recruit permanent staff due to COVID-19; and
- The increase in the cost of consultants was directly related to the projects that were undertaken in the relevant years including the Learning and Development Strategy and the Systems Review Project. In 2019-20, projects were not being taken forward at that time.
I am aware that this correspondence comes at the same time as the ongoing contacts between the Audit Committee and the Assembly Commission in relation to codifying the relationship between both bodies. While I hope the information above is helpful for the Audit Committee’s queries, it is important to take account of the nature of the relationship which was previously agreed and clarify the respective roles for the future.
Is mise le meas
ALEX MASKEY MLA
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Room 254 Parliament Buildings
Ballymiscaw Stormont Belfast BT4 3XX
Tel: 028 9052 1843
Email: committee.audit@niassembly.gov.uk
Mr Alex Maskey MLA
The Speaker
Chairperson of the Assembly Commission
Issued via email to: speaker@niassembly.gov.uk
29 September 2021
Dear Alex
Annual Report and Accounts 2020-2021
At its meeting on 29 September 2021, the Audit Committee considered the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission: Annual Report and Accounts for year ended 31 March 2021.
In preparation for its scrutiny of the forthcoming NIAC draft budget, the Committee agreed to seek further information/clarification on a number of issues:
- Further details on the 13 targets that were partially achieved and the 5 targets that were not achieved and any reasons other than COVID-19 that affected performance;
- It is noted on page 10 of the report that, in relation to 4 out of the 5 targets that were not achieved, the impact of the resumption of Assembly business and COVID-19 was known when the Annual Plan 2020-21 was being devised. If it was known that the targets were not likely to be achieved because of these impacts, what was the reason for setting them;
- An update on the work being carried out to mitigate the risk of operational failure of the broadcasting infrastructure;
- Further details on the increase in payments for temporary staff (2020/21 - £1,988,133, 2019/20 - £350,059) including details of the steps being taken to reduce reliance on temporary staff in the next budget period;
- Further details on the increase in payments made to consultants (2020/21 - £47,928, 2019/20 - £2,832).
I would appreciate a response by 14 October 2021.
Yours sincerely
Daniel McCrossan
Chairperson of the Audit Committee
c.c Lesley Hogg, Richard Stewart
