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00:00I also want to highlight one section of the Audit Office report, the fact that the Northern
00:04Ireland Assembly's Chairperson's Liaison Group has considered how the Assembly Committee's
00:09scrutiny role can be strengthened in response to an RHA inquiry recommendation, something
00:14highlighted in paragraphs 1.9 to 1.11 of the Audit Office report. That group was set up
00:22to consider how the Assembly should consider what steps are needed to strengthen its scrutiny
00:28role, particularly as conducted by Assembly Committees. The report said that they want
00:35to strengthen its scrutiny role—really?—and the need to delve into the detail—really?—through
00:43appropriate questions. Really? Have we seen that in the Executive Office? Heaven forbid
00:49that some of those questions might be classed as difficult from the Chairperson.
00:54I have to say that my experience since coming to this House is of the Statutory Committee
00:59for the Executive Office, which does not believe in scrutiny but rather protects witnesses
01:04from questions. It is a committee system where the Chair meets a witness due to appear before
01:09the committee without a consultant, much less gaining approval from that committee. It is
01:14a committee which thinks it is appropriate to submit questions to a witness in advance
01:19rather than using the powers at its disposal to compel a witness to appear. A committee
01:25more interested in protecting the process than in delving into the detail.
01:31I will remind this House that the only piece of legislation to arise from the RHA inquiry
01:37came from my predecessor, Jim Allister. However, in recent days I have heard some Members claim
01:43that because his Act introduced a requirement for Ministers to have a record of meetings
01:48and therefore committee Chairpersons are not expected to keep a record of meetings,
01:52I want to nail that falsehood ahead of tomorrow's committee. That is a deliberate mislead.
02:01Because a Minister is required to keep a record does not mean that committees are absolved
02:05from having their own record, particularly when, as this report highlights, departmental
02:11records keeping remains appalling. In my short time in this Assembly, I agree with other
02:18Members that it appears we have learned nothing from the RHA debacle.