Meeting Records
RHI Inquiry · The Report of the Independent Public Inquiry into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme · Issued 13 March 2020 · Addressed to: Northern Ireland Executive
Source — verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
Notes of significant meetings between officials and ministers, particularly those affecting decision-making and spending, must be taken and retained. The responsibility for ensuring this is done should be clearly identified and compliance should be ensured in practice.
RHI Inquiry, The Report of the Independent Public Inquiry into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme · 13 Mar 2020 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
Publicly available evidence relating to this recommendation:
- The NIAO Second Progress Report (October 2024) assessed this recommendation as Implemented, noting that it had been upgraded from "Likely" in the first progress report, with requirements for keeping records of meetings addressed through revised guidance (NIAO Second Progress Report, October 2024).
Response — verbatim from government
●Northern Ireland Executive
[Note: The NI Executive responded to recommendations 8-18, 24, 26-28, 32b, 34-36 together as a group under the 'Professional Skills, Resourcing, Record Keeping and Raising Concerns' themes.] NI Executive Response (October 2021): These recommendations can be accepted in full. They have been addressed through work to date through: revisions to the NICS Code of Ethics and production of the Guidance for Ministers; new corporate guidance developed for Private Offices; the strengthening of Private Offices by the redefining and higher grading of the Private Secretary and Assistant Private Secretary roles; planned induction, training and ongoing support for Private Office staff; existing practices such as reviews of retention and disposal schedules and Information Asset Registers; the project to review how the NICS carries out its Records Management responsibilities and improving its current electronic storage system (HPRM) for all users; the launch of an NICS data-protection and information management hub; Completion of NICS reviews of records management and HPRM optimisation; upgrade of the current records management software. Further work is required to: review and update Private Office guidance in light of recent experience; further address the culture and behaviours surrounding record keeping in the NICS; Complete a reporting exercise to ensure that products designed to address these recommendations have been appropriately embedded within all Departments.
Northern Ireland Executive · 7 Oct 2021 Written response →
Evidence trail — what's actually happened since
- 15 Oct 2024 NIAO Second Progress Report (October 2024): Implemented. Requirements for keeping records of meetings addressed through revised guidance. Previous assessment upgraded from Likely to Implemented. Source →
- 15 Oct 2024 · NIAO Second Progress Report NIAO found record keeping has REGRESSED since their 2022 report. The Audit Office encountered difficulties securing timely access to adequate records when reviewing implementation. View source → No Meaningful Progress
Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.
How this page is built
Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.
This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.