Public Accounts Committee

Minutes of Proceedings - 29 February 2024

Public Accounts Committee - Minutes of Proceedings 29 February 2024.pdf (158.11 kb)

Meeting Location: Room 21, Parliament Buildings

Present:

Daniel McCrossan, MLA (Chairperson)

Cheryl Brownlee, MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Cathal Boylan, MLA

Diane Forsyth, MLA

Colm Gildernew, MLA

David Honeyford, MLA

Apologies:

Tom Buchanan, MLA

Robbie Butler, MLA

Pádraig Delargy, MLA

In Attendance:

Lucia Wilson (Committee Clerk)

Trevor Allen (Senior Assistant Committee Clerk)

Karen Barry (Clerical Supervisor)

Barbara Daly (Clerical Officer)

The meeting commenced at 2.06 pm in closed session

The Chairperson advised members of the requirement to declare interests in any items of business on the agenda, and discussed the substantive items of business to be considered.

The meeting moved into public session at 2.08 pm.

1. Apologies

Apologies were received from Tom Buchanan; Robbie Butler; and Pádraig Delargy. The Chairperson advised members that, if agreed in plenary on Tuesday 5 March, John Stewart will replace Robbie Butler on the committee.

2. Draft minutes

Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on 22 February 2024 were agreed.

3. Declaration of Interests

The Chairperson reminded members of their requirement to register their interests under Standing Order 69(5).

No specific interests were declared.

The meeting moved into closed session at 2.15 pm.

4. Matter Arising

Members were advised that refurbishment of the Senate Chamber will commence in the coming weeks and the room will not be available for committee use until after summer recess.

5. Chairperson’s Business

No Chairperson’s business was raised.

6. Correspondence

Members noted correspondence from Pivotal on its work and offering to meet with the committee.

7. Treasury Officer of Accounts – Introductory Brief

The following officials from the Department of Finance joined the meeting at 2.13 pm:

Mr Stuart Stevenson, Treasury Officer of Accounts;

Ms Julie Sewell, Head of Public Audit and Accountability Branch.

The Committee received an introductory briefing on the role of the Department of Finance that relates to the committee.

Agreed: Mr Stevenson to provide further information of the process to assess value for money and, in particular, how lost opportunity costs are assessed if projects are not progressed.

The Chairperson thanked officials for their attendance.

Officials left the meeting at 2:50 pm.

The meeting moved into closed session at 2.50 pm.

8. Northern Ireland Audit Office Briefing on NIAO Reports

The following officials from the Northern Ireland Audit Office joined the meeting at 2.50 pm:

Ms Dorinnia Carville, Comptroller and Auditor General, Northern Ireland Audit Office;

Mr Rodney Allen, Chief Operating Officer, Northern Ireland Audit Office;

Mr Patrick Barr, Director, Northern Ireland Audit Office;

Ms Suzanne Jones, Director, Northern Ireland Audit Office;

Ms Colette Kane, Director, Northern Ireland Audit Office;

Mr Brian O'Neill, Director, Northern Ireland Audit Office;

Mr Seamus Wade, Director, Northern Ireland Audit Office;

Mr Tomas Wilkinson, Director, Northern Ireland Audit Office;

Mr Kyle Bingham, Assembly Support Officer, Northern Ireland Audit Office.

The Committee received briefing on a number of reports published by the Northern Ireland Audit Office during the current Assembly mandate, as well as a number of reports due for publication later in the year.

Mr Gildernew left the meeting at 3:38 pm.

Mr Gildernew re-joined the meeting at 3:43 pm.

Ms Brownlee left the meeting at 4:10 pm.

Ms Brownlee re-joined the meeting at 4:15 pm.

The Chairperson thanked officials for their attendance.

Officials left the meeting at 4:47 pm.

Mr Honeyford left the meeting at 4:47 pm.

Mr Honeyford re-joined the meeting at 4:49 pm.

Agreed: The Committee agreed its first two inquiries for the current sessions: Mental Health Services in Northern Ireland; and Public Procurement in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) agreed to revert to the committee on availability of officials, which may determine the order in which the inquiries will progress.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Committee Clerk should correspond with the statutory committee to advise of the chosen inquiries and to emphasise the primacy of the Public Accounts Committee.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider if any NIAO reports should be referred to the appropriate Statutory Committees for consideration.

The meeting moved into public session at 4.54 pm.

The Chairperson highlighted, for the record, the issues considered in the closed session; including the Committee’s selection of inquiries to be taken forward in this session.

9. Memorandum of Reply – Addiction Services in Northern Ireland

The Committee noted the Department of Finance’s Memorandum of Reply (MoR) on the Committee’s ninth report of the 2017-2022 mandate, on Addiction Services in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: As the MoR was presented to the Assembly in March 2022, the Committee agreed to seek an update on progress since that date.

Agreed: The Committee further agreed on the need for a review mechanism to review MoRs six-months from their presentation to the Assembly.

10. Forward Work Programme

The Committee considered a draft forward work programme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed its forward work programme.

11. Any Other Business

The need to write to other committees, advising of the PAC’s future inquiries was discussed and will be raised again at the meeting on 7 March when the committee has agreed its work programme.

12. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

The Chairperson thanked NIAO officials for their attendance and advised members that the next meeting is scheduled for Thursday 7^th March, at 2.00 pm in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 5.02 pm.

Daniel McCrossan MLA

Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee

29 February 2024