26. Public Accounts
The Committee was nominated on 16 July 2001.
It had 17 Members and held 58 Meetings.
|
Members | Meetings
attended
|
|
Leigh, Mr Edward (added 19.7.01) (Chairman from 17.10.01) 55
| |
Bacon, Mr Richard | 53
|
Boateng, Mr Paul (discharged 24.6.02) | 0
|
Davidson, Mr Ian | 36
|
Davies, Geraint | 38
|
Davis, David (Chairman from 18.7.01 until 17.10.01) (discharged 24.6.02)
| 1 |
Eagle, Angela (added 16.10.02) | 5
|
Field, Mr Frank (added 15.5.02) | 8
|
Gardiner, Mr Barry (discharged 16.10.02) |
28 |
Gibb, Mr Nick (added 5.11.01) | 33
|
Howarth, Mr George (added 15.5.02) | 10
|
Jenkins, Mr Brian | 46
|
Jones, Mr Nigel (added 15.5.02) | 7
|
Kelly, Ruth (added 24.6.02) | 1
|
Osborne, Mr George | 39
|
Rendel, Mr David | 55
|
Steinberg, Mr Gerry | 50
|
Trickett, Jon | 38
|
Williams, Mr Alan | 52
|
|
Overall Attendance: | 65.8 %
|
Number of Members added: | 7
|
Number of Members discharged: | 3
|
Turnover of membership during the Session: |
17.6 % |
Staff
Clerk of the Committee: Mr Kennedy Brown OBE (until 31.12.01),
Senior Clerk (Band A2); Mr Nick Wright (from 7.11.01), Senior
Clerk (Band A2)
Committee Assistant: Miss Susan Monaghan (until 26.10.01), Chief
Office Clerk (Band C); Mr Richard Poureshagh (from 14.11.01),
Chief Office Clerk (Band C) (from 15.11.01)
Secretary: Miss Ronnie Jefferson, Secretary Grade 3 (Band D1),
Secretary Grade 2 (Band C) (from 17.10.01 until 14.11.01)
Other Committee Staff: Mr Mike Cruickshank (from 28.7.01 until
20.10.01), Senior Office Clerk (Band D1); Mr John Kittle (from
21.10.02), Senior Office Clerk (Band D1)
Specialist Advisers during the Session
None.
Witnesses | |
Oral evidence was given during the Session by the following categories of witnesses:
| |
Number of appearances by: |
|
Ministers other than Cabinet Ministers
| 1 |
Number of appearances by officials from, or representatives of:
| |
Cabinet Office | 5
|
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
| 3 |
Ministry of Defence | 13
|
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
| 1 |
Department for Education and Skills
| 6 |
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
| 8 |
Department of Health | 7
|
Home Office | 4
|
Department for International Development
| 2 |
Lord Chancellor's Department | 2
|
Department of Trade and Industry |
1 |
Department for Transport | 2
|
Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
| 2 |
HM Treasury | 13
|
Department for Work and Pensions |
4 |
executive agencies | 5
|
comprising: Benefits Agency | 1
|
Defence Procurement Agency | 1
|
Radiocommunications Agency | 1
|
Rural Payments Agency | 2
|
public bodies and non-Ministerial departments
| 88 |
comprising: BBC | 6
|
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
| 1 |
Centre for Management and Policy Studies
| 1 |
Charity Commission | 2
|
HM Customs and Excise | 12
|
Employment Service | 2
|
Higher Education Funding Council for England
| 1 |
Inland Revenue | 12
|
Legal Services Commission | 1
|
Maritime and Coastguard Agency |
1 |
Medical Research Council | 1
|
The Millennium Commission | 1
|
National Audit Office | 17
|
National Probation Service for England and Wales
| 1 |
Natural Environment Research Council
| 1 |
National Lottery Commission | 1
|
NHS Direct | 1
|
NHS Litigation Authority | 2
|
Office for National Statistics |
2 |
Office of the e-Envoy | 2
|
Office of Gas and Electricity Markets
| 1 |
Office of Government Commerce | 9
|
Office of Science and Technology |
1 |
Office of Telecommunications | 1
|
Office of Water Services | 1
|
Postal Services Commission | 2
|
HM Prison Service | 2
|
Royal Mint | 1
|
Small Business Service | 2
|
Members of Parliament | 1
|
Appearances by other witnesses | 30
|
Overseas Visits
None.
Visits to European Institutions
None.
UK Visits
Date | Destination
| Members | Staff
| Purpose | Cost
|
27-28.2.02 | Copthorne Millennium Hotel, Gatwick
| 10 | 3
| Committee seminar | £3,832.15
|
13.6.02 | Kensington Palace |
10 | 2
| Inquiry into Maintaining the Royal Palaces
| £156.20 |
25.6.02 | HM Treasury Building, 25 Great George St, London SW1
| 11 | 2
| Inquiry into Treasury building PFI project with Exchequer Partnerships
| £0.00 |
Reports and Minutes of Evidence
Title | HC No. (2001-02)
| Date of publication | No. of pages
| Sale price | Government reply
|
First Report: Managing Risk in Government Departments
| 336 | 23.11.01
| 37 | £9.00
| Cm 5393, published 14.2.02
|
Second Report: Improving Construction Performance
| 337 | 5.12.01
| 36 | £9.00
| Cm 5393, published 14.2.02
|
Third Report: The Cancellation of the Benefits Payment Card Project
| 358 | 6.12.01
| 40 | £10.00
| Cm 5393, published 14.2.02
|
Fourth Report: The Renegotiation of the PFI-Type Deal for the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds
| 359 | 12.12.01
| 56 | £11.00
| Cm 5450, published 12.12.01
|
Fifth Report: Ministry of Defence: Major Projects Report 2000
| 368 | 28.11.01
| 71 | £12.00
| Cm 5450, published 28.2.02
|
Sixth Report: Ministry of Defence: Major Projects Report 2000 - The Role of the Equipment Capability Customer
| 369 | 28.11.01
| 70 | £12.00
| Cm 5450, published 28.2.02
|
Seventh Report: Sale of Part of the UK Gold Reserves
| 396 | 19.12.01
| 49 | £9.00
| Cm 5470, published 14.3.02
|
Eighth Report: Office of Water Services (OFWAT): Leakage and Water Efficiency
| 397 | 4.1.02
| 41 | £10.00
| Cm 5470, published 14.3.02
|
Ninth Report: Tackling Obesity in England |
421 | 16.1.02
| 52 | £11.00
| Cm 5477, published 20.3.02
|
Tenth Report: The Acquisition of German Parcel
| 422 | 11.1.02
| 29 | £7.50
| Cm 5477, published 20.3.02
|
Eleventh Report: Office of Gas and Electricity Markets: Giving Domestic Customers a Choice of Electricity Supplier
| 446 | 17.1.02
| 37 | £9.00
| Cm 5481, published 9.5.02
|
Twelfth Report: The Radiocommunications Agency's Joint Venture with CMG
| 447 | 23.1.02
| 26 | £7.50
| Cm 5470, published 14.3.02
|
Thirteenth Report: Regulating Housing Associations' Management of Financial Risk
| 470 | 9.1.02
| 29 | £7.50
| Cm 5470, published 14.3.02
|
Fourteenth Report: The Millennium Dome |
516 | 1.2.02
| 86 | £13.00
| Cm 5487, published 25.4.02
|
Fifteenth Report: How English Further Education Colleges can Improve Student Performance
| 528 | 7.2.02
| 39 | £10.00
| Cm 5487, published 25.4.02
|
Sixteenth Report: Access to the Victoria and Albert Museum
| 559 | 14.2.02
| 31 | £9.00
| Cm 5487, published 25.4.02
|
Seventeenth Report: Ministry of Defence: Maximising the Benefits of Defence Equipment Co-operation
| 586 | 15.2.02
| 40 | £10.00
| Cm 5487, published 25.4.02
|
Eighteenth Report: Inland Flood Defence |
587 | 1.3.02
| 36 | £9.00
| Cm 5512, published 23.5.02
|
Nineteenth Report: Ship Surveys and Inspections
| 608 | 15.3.02
| 50 | £10.00
| Cm 5512, published 23.5.02
|
Twentieth Report: Educating and Training the Future Health Professional Workforce for England
| 606 | 8.3.02
| 43 | £10.00
| Cm 5512, published 23.5.02
|
Twenty-First Report: Better Value for Money from Professional Services
| 309 | 14.3.02
| 34 | £9.00
| Cm 5512, published 23.5.02
|
Twenty-Second Report: The Channel Tunnel Rail Link
| 630 | 21.3.02
| 57 | £11.00
| Cm 5512, published 23.5.02
|
Twenty-Third Report: Report on Inland Revenue Appropriation Account 1999-2000
| 631 | 22.3.02
| 32 | £9.00
| Cm 5524, published 20.6.02
|
Twenty-Fourth Report: Ministry of Defence: The Risk of Fraud in Property Management
| 647 | 20.3.02
| 46 | £10.00
| Cm 5512, published 23.5.02
|
Twenty-Fifth Report: Excess Votes 2000-2001
| 648 | 7.3.02
| 11 | £4.50
| Not applicable |
Twenty-Sixth Report: Better Regulation: Making Good Use of Regulatory Impact Assessments
| 682 | 12.4.02
| 42 | £10.00
| Cm 5524, published 20.6.02
|
Twenty-Seventh Report: The Medical Assessment of Incapacity and Disability Benefits
| 683 | 10.4.02
| 42 | £10.00
| Cm 5524, published 20.6.02
|
Twenty-Eighth Report: Better Public Services through Joint Working
| 471 | 18.4.02
| 39 | £9.00
| Cm 5524, published 20.6.02
|
Twenty-Ninth Report: Non-competitive Procurement in the Ministry of Defence
| 370 | 19.4.02
| 36 | £9.00
| Cm 5524, published 20.6.02
|
Thirtieth Report: The Auction of Radio Spectrum for the Third Generation of Mobile Telephones
| 436 | 26.4.02
| 34 | £9.00
| Cm 5524, published 20.6.02
|
Thirty-First Report: Postcomm: Opening the Post
| 632 | 1.5.02
| 81 | £13.00
| Cm 5549, published 16.7.02
|
Thirty-Second Report: The Implementation of the National Probation Service Information Systems Strategy
| 357 | 3.5.02
| 37 | £9.00
| Cm 5549, published 16.7.02
|
Thirty-Third Report: Income Tax Self Assessment
| 296 | 9.5.02
| 58 | £11.00
| Cm 5549, published 16.7.02
|
Thirty-Fourth Report: Policy Development: Improving Air Quality
| 560 | 24.5.02
| 33 | £9.00
| Cm 5549, published 16.7.02
|
Thirty-Fifth Report: Losses to the Revenue from Frauds on Alcohol Duty
| 331 | 17.5.02
| 36 | £9.00
| Cm 5549, published 16.7.02
|
Thirty-Sixth Report: Progress on Resource Accounting
| 349 | 19.6.02
| 126 | £14.50
| Cm 5600, published 3.10.02
|
Thirty-Seventh Report: Handling Clinical Negligence Claims in England
| 280 | 13.6.02
| 45 | £10.00
| Cm 5600, published 3.10.02
|
Thirty-Eighth Report: NIRS 2: Contract extension
| 423 | 7.8.02
| 41 | £10.00
| Cm 5612, published 17.10.02
|
Thirty-Ninth Report: Giving Confidently: The role of the Charity Commission in Regulating Charities
| 412 | 3.7.02
| 43 | £10.00
| Cm 5600, published 3.10.02
|
Fortieth Report: NHS Direct in England |
610 | 10.7.02
| 32 | £7.50
| Cm 5600, published 3.10.02
|
Forty-First Report: Ministry of Defence: Major Projects Report 2001
| 448 | 4.7.02
| 37 | £9.00
| Cm 5600, published 3.10.02
|
Forty-Second Report: Managing the relationship to secure a successful partnership in PFI Projects
| 460 | 11.7.02
| 42 | £10.00
| Cm 5600, published 3.10.02
|
Forty-Third Report: The use of funding competitions in PFI projects: the Treasury building
| 398 | 17.7.02
| 38 | £9.00
| Cm 5676, published 28.11.02
|
Forty-Fourth Report: The misuse and smuggling of hydrocarbon oils
| 649 | 18.7.02
| 48 | £11.00
| Cm 5612, published 17.10.02
|
Forty-Fifth Report: Inpatient and outpatient waiting in the NHS
| 376 | 18.9.02
| 45 | £10.00
| Cm 5676, published 28.11.02
|
Forty-Sixth Report: Inappropriate adjustments to NHS waiting lists
| 517 | 18.9.02
| 52 | £11.00
| Cm 5676, published 28.11.02
|
Forty-Seventh Report: The Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
| 338 | 25.7.02
| 50 | £11.00
| Cm 5612, published 17.10.02
|
Forty-Eighth Report: Department for International Development: Performance Management - Helping to reduce world poverty
| 793 | 1.8.02
| 45 | £10.00
| Cm 5612, published 17.10.02
|
Forty-Ninth Report: Ensuring that policies deliver value for money
| 541 | 31.7.02
| 41 | £10.00
| Cm 5612, published 17.10.02
|
Fiftieth Report: Pipes and wires | 831
| 8.8.02 | 42
| £10.00 | Cm 5636, published 31.10.02
|
Fifty-First Report: Agricultural fraud: the case of Joseph Bowden
| 684 | 22.8.02
| 57 | £11.00
| Cm 5636, published 31.10.02
|
Fifty-Second Report: e-Revenue | 707
| 29.8.02 | 44
| £10.00 | Cm 5636, published 31.10.02
|
Fifty-Third Report: Reducing prisoner reoffending
| 619 | 5.9.02
| 50 | £11.00
| Cm 5676, published 28.11.02
|
Fifty-Fourth Report: Improving public services through e-Government
| 845 | 28.8.02
| 39 | £9.00
| Cm 5636, published 31.10.02
|
Fifty-Fifth Report: Fraud and error in income support
| 595 | 11.9.02
| 46 | £10.00
| Cm 5676, published 28.11.02
|
Fifty-Sixth Report: Ministry of Defence: Combat Identification
| 759 | 21.8.02
| 35 | £9.00
| Cm 5636, published 31.10.02
|
Fifty-Seventh Report: The operation and wind-up of Teesside Development Corporation
| 675 | 14.8.02
| 54 | £11.00
| Cm 5636, published 31.10.02
|
Fifty-Eighth Report: Improving student achievement and widening participation in higher education in England
| 588 | 12.9.02
| 78 | £13.00
| Cm 5676, published 28.11.02
|
Fifty-Ninth Report: Delivering the commercialisation of public sector science
| 689 | 15.8.02
| 43 | £10.00
| Cm 5636, published 31.10.02
|
Sixtieth Report: Royal travel by air and rail
| 529 | 4.9.02
| 49 | £11.00
| Cm 5676, published 28.11.02
|
Sixty-First Report: The management of surplus property by Trusts in the NHS in England
| 765 | 19.9.02
| 47 | £10.00
| Cm 5676, published 28.11.02
|
Sixty-Second Report: The New Deal for Young People
| 700 | 9.10.02
| 45 | £10.00
| Cm 5676, published 28.11.02
|
Sixty-Third Report: Construction of Portcullis House, the new Parliamentary building
| 861 | 24.7.02
| 39 | £9.00
| House of Commons Commission Report, published 30.10.02
|
Sixty-Fourth Report: Airwave | 783
| 28.11.02 | 51
| £11.00 | Awaited
|
Sixty-Fifth Report: Awarding the new licence to run the National Lottery
| 881 | 6.12.02
| 38 | £9.00
| Awaited |
Sixty-Sixth Report: Progress in achieving Government on the Web
| 936 | 13.12.02
| 40 | £9.00
| Awaited |
Sixty-Seventh Report: Inland Revenue: Tax Credits
| 866 | 5.12.02
| 43 | £10.00
| Awaited |
Sixty-Eighth Report: Collection of fines and other financial penalties in the criminal justice system
| 999 | 27.11.02
| 45 | £12.00
| Awaited |
Minutes of Evidence: The Governments response to the Sharman Report
| 701-i | 21.10.02
| 6 | £3.00
| Not applicable |
Minutes of Evidence: National Audit Office Supply Estimate 2002-03
| 690-i | 29.10.02
| 10 | £0.00
| Not applicable |
Government replies to Reports for Session 2000-01
Reply to the Committee's -
Sixth Report: Review of Audit and Accountability for Central
Government, published as Cm 5201 (18.7.02).
Eighth Report: Maintaining the Royal Palaces, published
as Cm 5201 (18.7.02).
Ninth Report: Managing Finances in English Further Education
Colleges, published as Cm 5201 (18.7.02).
Tenth Report: Parole, published as Cm 5201 (18.7.02).
Twelfth Report: English Heritage: Access to Properties,
published as Cm 5201 (18.7.02).
Eleventh Report: The Housing Corporation: Overseeing Focus
Housing Associations, published as Cm 5261 (3.10.02).
Thirteenth Report: The refinancing of the Fazakerely PFI Prison
Contract, published as Cm 5261 (3.10.02).
Fourteenth Report: Ministry of Defence: Managing reductions
in the number of vacant family quarters, published as Cm 5261
(3.10.02).
Fifteenth Report: Strategic Rail Authority: Action to improve
passenger rail services, published as Cm 5261 (3.10.02).
Sixteenth Report: The National Blood Service, published
as Cm 5261 (3.10.02).
Minutes of Proceedings
The Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee for Session 2000-01
were published on 11.5.01 as HC 498, Session 2000-01. The Minutes
of Proceedings of the Committee for Session 2001-02 will be published
as HC 1331, Session 2001-02.
Divisions
None.
Debates
The following Reports were the subject of a debate in the House:
Thirty-Ninth Report, Session 1999-2000, HM Customs and Excise:
Revenue from Gambling Duties, Thirty-Eighth Report, Session 1999-2000,
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: The Sheep Annual
Premium Scheme, Fortieth Report, Session 1999-2000, National Savings:
Public-Private Partnership with Siemens Business Services, Forty-First
Report, Session 1999-2000, The Gaming Board: Better Regulation,
Forty-Second Report, Session 1999-2000, The Management and Control
of Hospital Acquired Infection in Acute NHS Trusts in England,
Forty-Third Report, Session 1999-2000, Hip Replacements: Getting
it Right First Time, Forty-Fourth Report, Session 1999-2000, Ministry
of Defence: Accepting Equipment Off-Contract and into Service,
Forty-Fifth Report, Session 1999-2000, Ministry of Defence: Acceptance
of the Chinook Mk 2 Helicopter, Forty-Sixth Report, Session 1999-2000,
Ministry of Defence: Kosovo - The Financial Management of Military
Operations, Forty-Seventh Report, Session 1999-2000, The National
Health Service Executive - Valedictory Hearing: Sir Alan Langlands,
First Report, Session 2000-01, Inpatient Administration, Bed Management
and Patient Discharge in NHS Acute Hospitals, Second Report, Session
2000-01, Public Trust Office: Unclaimed Balances Held in Funds
in Cours and the Office's 1998-99 Accounts, Third Report,
Session 2000-01, Emergency Aid: The Kosovo Crisis, Fourth Report,
Session 2000-01, Grants made by the National Lottery Charities
Board, Fifth Report, Session 2000-01, The Draft Social Security
(Inherited SERPS) Regulations 2001, Sixth Report, Session 2000-01,
Review of Audit and Accountability for Central Government, Seventh
Report, Session 2000-01, Excess Votes 1999-2000: Class X, Votes
2 and 3, Eighth Report, Session 2000-01, Maintaining the Royal
Palaces, Ninth Report, Session 2000-01, Managing Finances in English
Further Education Colleges, Tenth Report, Session 2000-01, Parole,
Eleventh Report, Session 2000-01, The Housing Corporation: Overseeing
Focus Housing Association, Twelfth Report, Session 2000-01, English
Heritage: Access to Properties, Thirteenth Report, Session 2001-02,
The Refinancing of Fazakerley PFI Prison Contract, Fourteenth
Report, Session 2001-02, Ministry of Defence: Managing Reductions
in the Number of Vacant Family Quarters, Fifteenth Report, Session
2001-02, Strategic Rail Authority: Action to Improve Passenger
Rail Services, Sixteenth Report, Session 2001-02, The National
Blood Service and Second Report, Session 2000-01, Public Trust
Office: Unclaimed Balances Held in Funds in Court and the Office's
1998-99 Accounts, and of the Treasury Minutes on these Reports
(Cm 5021, 5071, 5078, 5127, 5201 and 5261): Motion to take note,
24.1.02
Oral Evidence
Oral Evidence was taken at 56 of the Committee's 58 Meetings.
On 5 occasions evidence was taken partly or wholly in private.
Inquiry | Number of oral evidence sessions
|
Agricultural fraud: The case of Joseph Bowden
| 1 |
Audit of the Inland Revenue under Section 2 of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1921 (HC 335-XVI)
| 1 |
Awarding the New Licence to run the National Lottery
| 1 |
Better Public Services Through e-Government
| 1 |
Better Regulation: Making Good Use of Regulatory Impact Assessments
| 1 |
Better Value for Money from Professional Services
| 1 |
Collecting the Television Licence Fee | 1
|
Collection of Fines and other Financial Penalties in the Criminal Justice System
| 1 |
Construction of Portcullis House, the new Parliamentary building
| 1 |
Customs and Excise Standard Report 2000-01: Tobacco smuggling
| 2 |
Dealing with Pollution from Ships | 1
|
Delivering the commercialisation of public sector science
| 1 |
Department for International Development: Performance management - Helping to reduce world poverty
| 1 |
DSS Resource Account 2000-01 (Fraud and error in Income Support)
| 1 |
e-Revenue | 1
|
Giving Confidently: The role of the Charity Commission in regulating charities
| 1 |
Government on the Web II | 1
|
Handling clinical negligence claims in England
| 1 |
Helping victims and witnesses: the work of Victim Support
| 1 |
Improving student achievement and widening participation in higher education in England
| 2 |
Inappropriate adjustments to NHS waiting lists
| 1 |
Income Tax Self Assessment | 1
|
Individual Learning Accounts | 1
|
Innovation in PFI financing: The Treasury Building Project
| 1 |
Inpatient and outpatient waiting in the NHS
| 1 |
Joining up to improve public services | 1
|
Landfill Tax Credit Scheme | 1
|
Losses to the Revenue from Frauds on Alcohol Duty
| 1 |
Managing the relationship to secure a successful partnership in PFI projects
| 1 |
Ministry of Defence: Combat identification |
1 |
Ministry of Defence: Exercise Saif Sareea II
| 1 |
Ministry of Defence: Major Projects Report 2001
| 1 |
Ministry of Defence: Redevelopment of MoD Main Building
| 1 |
Modern policy-making: ensuring policies deliver value for money
| 1 |
National Audit Office Supply Estimate 2002-03
| 1 |
NHS Direct in England | 1
|
NIRS 2: Contract extension | 1
|
Non-competitive Procurement in the Ministry of Defence
| 1 |
Office for National Statistics: Outsourcing the 2001 Census
| 1 |
Pipes and Wires: Regulating Prices and Quality of Networks Delivering Essential Services
| 1 |
Policy Development: Improving Air Quality |
1 |
Postcomm: Opening the Post | 2
|
Progress on Resource Accounting | 1
|
Public Private Partnerships: Airwave | 1
|
Reducing prisoner reoffending | 1
|
Royal Mint Trading Fund: 2001-02 Accounts |
1 |
Royal travel by air and rail | 1
|
The 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease
| 1 |
The Auction of Radio Spectrum for the Third Generation of Mobile Telephones
| 1 |
The Government's response to Lord Sharman's Report, 'Holding to Account: Audit and Accountability in central Government'
| 1 |
The Implementation of the National Probation Service Information Systems Strategy
| 1 |
The misuse and smuggling of hydrocarbon oils
| 1 |
The New Deal for Young People | 1
|
The operation and wind-up of Teesside Development Corporation
| 1 |
Winding-up The New Millennium Experience Company
| 1 |
Total | 58*
|
* On two occasions, two oral evidence sessions were taken
at one meeting of the Committee.
|