Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2011/2012
Date: 22 June 2011
Venue: Room 29
1:08 pm The meeting commenced in closed session.
1. Draft Forward Work Programme September – December 2011
The Committee received briefing from Mr Kieran Donnelly, C&AG, Northern Ireland Audit Office on the NIAO reports ready for selection by the Committee for its forward work programme.
The C&AG answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
1:13 pm Ms McCann entered the meeting.
1:18 pm Mr Frew entered the meeting.
1:36 pm Mr Frew left the meeting.
1:55 pm Mr Easton entered the meeting.
2:25 pm Mr Girvan left the meeting.
2:27 pm Mr Girvan entered the meeting.
2:45 pm Ms McCann left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to the scheduling of reports for evidence sessions for the session September – December 2011 and that a press release should be drafted for its consideration at its meeting next week.
2:55 pm Ms McCann entered the meeting.
2:55 pm The meeting went into public session.
2. Apologies
Apologies are listed above.
3. Minutes of the meeting on 15 June 2011
Agreed: The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
4. Memorandum of Reply
The Committee considered the joint Memorandum of Reply to the Committee’s report on ‘Measuring the Performance of NI Water’ and ‘Procurement and Governance in NI Water’.
2:57 pm Mr Byrne left the meeting.
2:59 pm Mr Byrne entered the meeting.
3:05 pm Mr Girvan left the meeting.
3:14 pm Mr Girvan entered the meeting.
3:26 pm Mr Copeland left the meeting.
3:32 pm Mr Copeland entered the meeting.
3:41 pm Mr Anderson left the meeting.
3:47 pm Ms McCann left the meeting.
3:57 pm Mr Anderson entered the meeting.
Members put a number of questions to Mr Adrian Arbuthnot, Acting Treasury Officer of Accounts.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to clarify in correspondence details of the response.
5. Matters arising
Correspondence from Conway Mill Preservation Trust Ltd
The Committee noted correspondence from Conway Mill Preservation Trust highlighting irregularities regarding the awarding of the NEC3 contract.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the C&AG should investigate the highlighted issues and report back to the Committee upon its conclusion.
4:07 pm The meeting went into closed session.
Correspondence from Sir Bruce Robinson, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service
The Committee considered procedural advice detailing options to address previous correspondence from Sir Bruce Robinson, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
4:12 pm Ms McCann entered the meeting.
4:34 pm Mr Girvan left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed an invitation to Sir Bruce Robinson to give a briefing at its meeting of 29 June 2011.
4:46 pm Mr Dallat left the meeting.
6. Issues arising from the oral evidence session on NIAO report ‘Reducing Water Pollution from Agricultural Sources – The Farm Nutrient Management Scheme’ & ‘Public Accounts Committee Report on Excess Votes (Northern Ireland) 2009-2010’
Members considered an issues paper on this evidence session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request some further information.
4:55 pm Mr Byrne left the meeting.
7. Any other business
There was no other business.
8. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 29 June 2011 at 2:00 pm in room 29.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4:57 pm.
