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PAC - Approved Committee Minutes - 18 August 2014

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Public Accounts Committee

Record of Meeting

Date: 18th August 2014 Meeting No: 51

 

Present

Deputy T. Vallois, Chairman Senator S.C. Ferguson Deputy R. Rondel

Deputy G.C.L. Baudains Mr. R. Parker

Apologies

Mr. J. Mills, C.B.E. Mr. I. Ridgeway

Absent

 

In attendance

Mrs. K .McConnell, Comptroller and Auditor General

Mr. I. Clarkson, Officer to the Public Accounts Committee

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1.  Records of Meetings

The records of the meetings held on 13th June, 23rd June and 3rd July 2014 were approved.

 

Item 2 23.06.14

2.  Conflicts of Interest

No conflicts of interest were declared.

 

Item 3 23.06.14

512/18

3.  Grant to Canbedone Productions Limited  

The Committee noted that the Chief Minister's Department had, in accordance  with  Recommendation  3  of  the  Committee's supplementary report PAC.1/2014, issued revised guidance on the recording of ministerial decisions.

The  Committee,  having  reviewed  the  revised  guidance  on ministerial  decision  recording,  was  pleased  to  note  that  the guidance  had  attempted  to  clarify  the  position  regarding  the delegation  of  authority  to  award  a  contract  or  enter  into  an equivalent instrument creating a financial liability. It nevertheless expressed a number of concerns regarding the construction and length  of  the  guidance  note  and  potential  shortcomings  in governance arrangements for ministerial decision recording. The Committee agreed that it should apprise its successor committee of these concerns.

On a related matter, the Committee noted that the Minister for Economic  Development  had  not  yet  made  the  statement regarding  the  status  of  the  Crystal  Island'  film  project, notwithstanding  his  oral  commitment  made  to  the  States Assembly on 17th June 2014.

Cttee / IC

 

The  Committee  recommended  that  the  Chairman  write  to  the Minister  indicating  that  it  would  welcome  an  update  on  the position as soon as possible and advising that, if a statement were  not  to  be  forthcoming  within  the  coming  fortnight,  the Committee would invite the Minister to attend a public hearing at

1.00 pm on Tuesday 9th September to discuss the matter.

Chair / IC

Item 5 23.06.14

1443/10 (60)

4.  Internal Audit Review

The Committee considered a draft Internal Audit report.

The Committee instructed its officer to produce a revised draft in due course, having determined that a series of changes should be made to the style and content of the same.

The Committee authorised the Chairman to approve the revised draft report for circulation to relevant witnesses.

IC / Chair

Item 1 03.07.14

512/20

5.  Integrated Care Records

The  Committee  noted  that  its  report  PAC.2/2014  had  been presented  to  the  States  on  17th  July  2014  and  that  a departmental response to the same was anticipated by Friday 29th August.

On a related matter, the Committee noted that the Draft Budget Statement  2015  (P.129/2014  refers)  included  a  draft  capital programme for the coming year and that the programme would, if approved,  allocate  the  sum  of  £1.6  million  to  the  Health  and Social  Services  Department  for  the  purpose  of  replacing  the Picture  Archiving  Communication  System  (PACS)  and  the Radiology  Information  System  (RIS)  systems  and  to  update associated  hardware.   The  Committee  instructed  its  officer  to revisit the review files and to determine whether the monies were to  fund  the  purchase  of  entirely  new  systems  or  a  planned upgrade / refurbishment of an existing system.

IC

IC

 

6.  Legacy Report

The Committee considered a draft legacy report entry, which was to be published by the Chairmen's Committee as part of a joint report.

The Committee approved the draft legacy report entry, having made several minor amendments to the same.

IC

 

7.  Draft Annual Report 2014

The Committee considered and approved its text for inclusion in the States Assembly Annual Report 2014.

IC

Item 1 23.06.14

1443/10 (57)

8.  Draft Comptroller and Auditor General (Jersey) Law 201-

The Committee was advised that the Chief Minister's Department had secured an external advisor to assist with the drafting of

 

 

terms of reference for an oversight board to be constituted in accordance with the new Law. The Committee noted that it would receive  a  further  update  at  its  final  scheduled  meeting  in September.

IC

 

9.  Comptroller and Auditor General Report: HSSD Use of Management Information in Operating Theatres (R.94/2014)

The  Committee  considered  R.94/2014  and  noted  the  17 recommendations made therein.

The Committee agreed that the Chairman should write to the Chief Officer, Health and Social Services Department seeking a response to the report.

The Committee noted that any response received from the Chief Officer  would  be  referred  to  the  reconstituted  Committee  for consideration.

Chair / IC

 

10.  Comptroller and Auditor General Report : The States as Shareholder: Jersey Telecom (R.109/2014)

The  Committee  considered  R.109/2014  and  noted  the  11 recommendation made therein.

The Committee agreed that the  Chairman should write to the Treasurer of the States seeking a response to the report.

The  Committee  noted  that  any  response  received  from  the Treasurer of the States would be referred to the reconstituted Committee for consideration.

Chair / IC

 

11.  Comptroller and Auditor General Review Financial Directions

The Committee received a briefing concerning a review by the Comptroller  and  Auditor  General  of  the  Financial  Directions issued  in  accordance  with  the  Public  Finances  (Jersey)  Law 2005.

The Committee noted that the final report of the Comptroller and Auditor General would be published on 21st August 2014 and, in this  regard,  agreed  that  the  Chairman  should  write  to  the Treasurer of the States seeking a response to the report.

 

Item 8 23.06.14

12.  Comptroller and Auditor General Work Programme The Committee noted –

  1. the  draft  Jersey  Audit  Office  Audit  Plan  for  the period 2014 – 2015, and
  2. the draft annual report of the Jersey Audit Office for 2014.

 

Item 11 23.06.14

13.  Future meetings

The  Committee  noted  its  final  scheduled  meeting  would commence at 12.30 pm on Monday 15th September 2014 in the Blampied Room, States Building.

Cttee

Signed  Date: ..  

Chairman

Public Accounts Committee