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Written Ministerial Statements
Thursday 6 February 2003
NORTHERN IRELAND
Quigley Review
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy): On 7 November last year, Sir George Quigley's report on the review of the Parades Commission and the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 was issued for consultation. The consultation period came to a close at the end of January.
Since then, I have had a number of requests for an extension to the consultation period coming from both sides of the community, including the Orange Order. It has been made clear to me that, due to the complexity of Sir George's report and the radical nature of some of his proposals, many organisations would benefit from some extra time in order to come to a clear view on the report.
There are very important issues at stake. I would not wish to deny anyone sufficient time to consider them fully.
Therefore, I have decided to allow an extended period of public consultation on the report, concluding at the end of April 2003. After that time, I intend to publish any legislation in draft for a further period of public consultation.
The extension will mean that any new arrangements requiring legislation will not be in place until the 2005 marching season.
The report may be downloaded from the NIO website—www.nio.gov.uk.
Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Ian Pearson): Copies of the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland's 3rd Annual Report and Accounts 2001–2002 were placed in the Libraries of the House today.
TREASURY
Audit Accountability (Central Government)
The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Ruth Kelly): The Government set out their policy on audit and access powers for the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) in their response, published on 13 March 2002 (Cm 5456), to Lord Sharman's report "Audit and
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Accountability in Central Government". The Government stated their intention to make two orders under the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (GRAA). The orders have been laid before Parliament today, following the completion of a consultation process seeking the views of those bodies and individuals affected by the orders. The orders reflect the outcome of the consultation exercise.
The first order provides for the C&AG to become the statutory auditor of those non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) that are currently audited by private firms or where the C&AG is currently appointed by agreement (other than companies). The order includes a schedule listing the bodies affected and sets out the legislation that is being amended and the amendments to be made. The Government accepted Lord Sharman's recommendation that the C&AG would take over the audit responsibility as existing contracts with auditors expire. NDPBs which are also companies and which need to be audited by a Companies Act auditor are not included in this order. Further legislative changes will be needed to remove statutory barriers that currently mean that the C&AG cannot carry out Companies Act audits.
The second order provides the C&AG with statutory access rights, for the purpose of his audit of Government accounts and the accounts of NDPBs, to bodies and individuals in receipt of grant, registered social landlords, train operating companies and bodies contracted or subcontracted to provide goods and/or services to Government and NDPBs, and to Entrust (the Regulator of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme) where the existing non-statutory access will be made statutory under the terms of the Government's response to Lord Sharman's report.
A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) setting out the impact the orders are expected to have on bodies and individuals potentially affected by them has been deposited today in the Libraries of both Houses. The RIA notes that the impact of the orders is not expected to be significant, with the overall cost of the new arrangements expected to be broadly the same as if the current arrangements had continued. It acknowledges that the new arrangements may not be completely without cost in each individual case. However, the RIA concludes that, in the light of assurances given by the C&AG, the Government are satisfied that on balance the advantages and disadvantages of these arrangements add up to a clear and continuing net gain for Parliament and the public.
It is the Government's further intention that the C&AG should have access on a non-statutory basis for his value for money (vfm) examinations to the same bodies as are designated under the order in respect of his financial audit functions. Access to such bodies would not be for the purpose of conducting a vfm examination of the bodies themselves; the access would be exercised solely in connection with vfm examinations of public sector bodies. The Government will provide this access through conditions on the award of grants, conditions in contracts and other agreements as appropriate.
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Cabinet Committees
The Prime Minister (Mr. Tony Blair): I have placed a copy of the current list of Cabinet Committees, their membership and terms of reference in the Library of the House. Details will also be updated on the Cabinet Office website at http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/cabsec/index/cabcom/index.htm.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Regional Development Agencies
The Minister for Employment Relations, Industry and the Regions (Alan Johnson): I have published the Regional Development Agencies' reported outputs for the second quarter of 2002–03, which are markedly better than the first quarter's results.
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Press releases on the results have been issued regionally. Copies of these and the second quarter results have been placed in the House Library and on the DTI website at www.dti.gsi.gov.uk/rda/info/q2results.htm.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Greater London Authority General Grant Determination 2003–04
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Tony McNulty): GLA general grant for 2003–04 has today been determined at £35,958,000, after consultation with the Mayor of London.
GLA general grant is a block grant paid for the purposes of the Authority and its functional bodies.