Audit committee 13 March 2006 summary minutes
Members present:
Bill Griffiths (Chair) John Spence and Kate Owen
Attending:
Paul Gray
Stephen Jones
Mike Hanson
Penny Melville-Brown
Carol Lunney
Melvyn Neate
Alyson Fairbrass
Elaine Banks
Paul Schofield
Caroline Mawhood
John Thorpe
Peter Hankins (secretary)
Contents
- Minutes of the meeting on 11 January 2006
- PSA information systems
- Accounts
- NAO progress report
- Internal audit
- Cipfa
- Risk management
1. Minutes of the meeting on 11 January 2006
The minutes were agreed.
The Committee noted that some information papers for this meeting had been received later than expected. It reiterated that members should have a full set of papers one week before each meeting.
2. PSA information systems
The Committee was grateful for the papers which had been submitted. It was decided that a further, over-arching paper should be commissioned, and further discussion deferred for the time being.
3. Accounts
Stephen Jones said that the third-quarter accounts process had gone very well, and a much better standard had been achieved. The main issues were set out in the paper: overall, we could certainly expect to end up within our vote and with a clean audit certificate.
The Committee considered it most encouraging to have the third-quarter accounts; no doubt they would also help the NAO to accelerate its work. Members would send
Agreement had now been reached on the wording of the Northern Ireland NIF Accounts.
The Committee also considered progress with the SIC.
4. NAO progress report
The NAO had provided for the first time a note reporting on progress and developments across the full range of its activities in respect of HMRC. The Committee found this an excellent summary and a most useful document, and welcomed the idea that similar reports should be produced in future on a cyclical basis.
5. Internal audit
Melvyn Neate presented the outline HMRC Internal Audit Plan for 2006/7. It reflected a risk-based approach. The Committee thought the plan provided a good overview and had the right focus. Internal Audit also provided an update on issues covered previously.
6. Cipfa
The team made a presentation about how the programme had worked, and how the benefits could now be fully realised. Experience in NICO showed how things could work.
The Committee was impressed by what had been achieved, and commended the work which had been done.
7. Risk management
Carol Lunney presented the Board papers, discussed earlier in the day. These explained the progress which had been made following conversations with Audit Committee members after the last meeting.
The Committee recognised the substantial progress which had been made, and was keen to help as much as it could.
