SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE IN OBTAINING OVERSEAS AUDIT CONTRACTS

  May I raise with you a point which arose during a recent meeting between the Public Accounts Commission and the National Audit Office, which was followed up in a letter to me from the Comptroller and Auditor General? It concerns the support and assistance provided by your Department to the NAO on its bids for the audit of international organisations and for contracts for other overseas work.

  I should say that the C&AG was generally complimentary about the co-operation, both from DFID and the FCO, which the NAO received in this area, and in its expanding programme of technical co-operation work. Sir John did, however, suggest as being worthy of consideration the idea of support by DFID for regional rather than national development programmes. Sir John added that in certain parts of the world (for example, the Caribbean) the provision of generic training and support on a regional basis was likely to be more efficient and effective than specific national programmes.

  Could you please, for the benefit of the Commission, outline the assistance the DFID currently provides to the NAO in support of these aspects of its work, as well as commenting on Sir John's specific suggestion?

24 April 2002

Rt Hon Alan Williams, MP

(Chairman, Public Accounts Commission)