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PART II |
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PARLIAMENTARY SCRUTINY |
| Local government expenditure |
Reports etc. of Audit Commission. |
13. - (1) The Audit Commission Act 1998 is amended as follows. |
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(2) After section 32 insert- |
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"Reports to House of Commons. |
32A. The Commission- |
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(a) shall, in the case of any report- |
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(i) pursuant to a direction under section 25, or
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(ii) under section 8, and
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(b) may, in any other case, |
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send any report under this Part to the Comptroller and Auditor General." |
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(3) In section 33 (studies for improving economy etc. in services)- |
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(a) in subsection (5), omit ", in the case of studies relating to a health service body,", |
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(b) after that subsection insert- |
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"(5A) The Comptroller and Auditor General shall from time to time lay before the House of Commons a report of any matters which, in his opinion, arise out of studies of the Commission under this section and ought to be drawn to the attention of that House.", and |
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(c) in subsection (6), at the end insert- |
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" and take into account any proposals made by the Committee of Public Accounts". |
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(4) In section 34(6) (consultation about studies on impact of statutory provisions etc.), at the end insert- |
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" and shall take into account any proposals made by the Committee of Public Accounts". |
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(5) In section 53(1) (interpretation), at the appropriate place insert- |
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""Committee of Public Accounts" shall be construed in accordance with section 13 of the National Audit Act 1983;". |
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| Public appointments |
Public appointments: approval etc. by Parliament. |
14. - (1) Any person selected to hold an office listed in the Schedule shall be appointed to that office only after each House of Parliament has so resolved on a motion moved by a Minister of the Crown. |
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(2) A motion under subsection (1) may only be moved if the selection of that person has been confirmed- |
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(a) by the appropriate committee of the House of Commons after consulting any appropriate committee of the House of Lords, or |
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(b) if each House so resolves, by the appropriate committee of the House of Lords or by such committees of each House acting jointly. |
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(3) The list set out in the Schedule may be altered by an order made by a Minister of the Crown which is- |
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(a) contained in a statutory instrument and |
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(b) laid in draft before, and approved by resolution of, each House. |
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(4) In subsection (2) "the appropriate committee" means such committee as each House may appoint for the purpose. |