▁claimed ▁one ▁D UP ▁advis er ▁may ▁have ▁" up ▁to ▁eight ▁bo ilers ", ▁which ▁the ▁party ▁called ▁" an ▁out rage ous ▁claim ". ▁Bell ▁said ▁he ▁was ▁prepared ▁to ▁repeat ▁his ▁alleg ation ▁before ▁a ▁judge - led ▁inqu iry . ▁ ▁Public ▁Account s ▁Committee ▁hearing ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Andrew ▁McC orm ick ▁was ▁called ▁before ▁Storm ont ' s ▁Public ▁Account s ▁Committee ▁( P AC ). ▁McC orm ick ▁is ▁a ▁senior ▁civil ▁servant ▁and ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁permanent ▁secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Department ▁for ▁the ▁Econom y ▁( D f E ). ▁During ▁the ▁committee ▁hearing , ▁he ▁was ▁question ed ▁by ▁ML As ▁on ▁the ▁R HI ▁scheme . ▁ ▁McC orm ick ▁said ▁he ▁bel ieves ▁that ▁a ▁D UP ▁special ▁advis er ▁" ex ert ed ▁influence " ▁on ▁the ▁scheme . ▁He ▁named ▁the ▁D UP ▁special ▁advis er ▁in ▁question ▁as ▁Andrew ▁C raw ford , ▁who ▁was ▁also ▁accused ▁by ▁former ▁Minister ▁Bell ▁as ▁press uring ▁him ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁scheme ▁open . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁in ception ▁of ▁the ▁R HI ▁scheme , ▁C raw ford ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁special ▁advis er ▁to ▁F oster ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁D ET I ▁minister . ▁After ▁F oster ▁left ▁D ET I ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Fin ance , ▁he ▁continued ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁her ▁advis er . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁revealed ▁that ▁C raw ford ' s ▁brother , ▁who ▁is ▁a