| Title:
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REPORT ON THE UNAUTHORISED DISCLOSURE OF A DRAFT REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
TOGETHER WITH THE MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE AND OTHER EVIDENCE CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE RELATING TO THE REPORT, FIRST REPORT SESSION 2012-13 |
| By: |
Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Assembly. Committee on Standards and , Alastair Ross |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| List price:
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£14.00 |
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| ISBN 10: |
0339604328 |
| ISBN 13: |
9780339604322 |
| Publisher: |
TSO |
| Pub. date: |
21 June, 2012 |
| Series: |
Northern Ireland Assembly Reports |
| Pages: |
98 |
| Synopsis: |
The Chairperson the Public Accounts Committee explained that on 18 January 2011, a draft report on the PAC's inquiry into performance and governance in NI Water was leaked to the media. The PAC had subsequently commissioned an inquiry into the leak but this was not conclusive. The PAC therefore agreed the matter should be referred under Standing Order 70 to the Committee on Standards and Privileges. The Committee recognised that this was the first referral such as this to the interim commissioner and that, as such, there may be lessons to be learned in terms of the effectiveness of this approach in handling such matters in the future. The Committee agreed the following terms of reference for the investigation: to establish the circumstances surrounding the unauthorised disclosure of the draft PAC report on its inquiry into the performance and governance of NI Water on 18 January 2011; to seek to establish the source of the unauthorised disclosure; to comment on the efficacy of referring such matters as breaches of privilege for investigation by the Commissioner; to report the findings of the investigation to the Committee on Standards and Privileges.Ultimately the interim Commissioner was unable to identify with any certainty the source of the unauthorised disclosure but concludes that whoever leaked the draft PAC report breached the Seven Principles of Public Life. The interim Commissioner has made a number of recommendations which are intended to provide additional "levels of assurance" that, if accepted, could be applied systematically in order that the risk of disclosure can be reduced as far as is practicable |
| Publication: |
UK |
| Imprint: |
TSO |
| Returns: |
Returnable |