Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme mistakes must never be repeated, says Committee
Synopsis: The Assembly’s Committee for the Economy calls for the clear failures highlighted by the Audit Office report into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme to be urgently addressed. The highly critical Audit Office report indicated that there could be considerable cost to the taxpayer following serious systematic failings in the Scheme.
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 06 July 2016
Reference: CfE 01/16
The Assembly’s Committee for the Economy calls for the clear failures highlighted by the Audit Office report into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme to be urgently addressed. The highly critical Audit Office report indicated that there could be considerable cost to the taxpayer following serious systematic failings in the Scheme.
Responding to the Audit Office report, Chairperson of the Economy Committee, Mr Conor Murphy MLA, said: “The Committee was deeply shocked to learn the extent of the mistakes and failings that have been made in regard to the Scheme, particularly in terms of cost control and monitoring.
“The Committee welcomes Minister Hamilton’s promise that external consultants will undertake thorough inspections of all biomass boilers installed through the Scheme to ensure they conform to its intentions and rules. The Committee will continue to monitor this situation carefully.”
Deputy Chairperson of the Committee, Mr Steve Aiken MLA, commented: “The Audit Office report on the Scheme highlights a litany of maladministration. It is hard to believe that so many opportunities to correct the failings of the Scheme were missed. We need to examine how and why these serious errors were allowed to happen and it is crucial that we find ways of limiting the cost to the taxpayer.”
Conor Murphy MLA concluded: “The Public Accounts Committee is set to launch an Inquiry, into the findings contained in the Audit Office’s report, in the Autumn. The Economy Committee will follow PAC’s Inquiry with interest, and will seek the implementation of all recommendations.”
ENDS
Committee Membership:
Mr Conor Murphy MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Steve Aiken OBE MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mervyn Storey MLA
Mr Gordon Dunne MBE MLA
Mr Gordon Lyons MLA
Mr Tom Buchanan MLA
Mr Alex Maskey MLA
Ms Caoimhe Archibald MLA
Mr Alan Chambers MLA
Ms Sinead Bradley MLA
Dr Stephen Farry MLA