Overseas Development Administration (Hansard, 20 June 1994)

§ 31. Mr. Bayley
To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission what funds have been made available by the Public Accounts Commission to the National Audit Office to investigate the work of the Overseas Development Administration.

§ Sir Peter Hordern
The Commission approved the National Audit Office's most recent corporate plan in July 1993 and its estimate for 1994–95 in December. We plan to meet to consider the 1994 corporate plan on 5 July. The voted funds enable the NAO to audit the financial accounts of Government Departments, including the Overseas Development Administration, and also to deliver about 50 major value-for-money outputs to Parliament each year. Selection of topics for investigation is based on a systematic review of expenditure and value for money, including the ODA, but the final decision on whether to proceed with investigation is a matter for the Comptroller and Auditor General, in consultation with the Public Accounts Committee.

§ Mr. Bayley
It has come to my notice that more than £500,000 from the ODA's budget is being spent on technical co-operation officers working to regulate tax havens in the Caribbean. That is in clear contradiction of the Government's stated policy of providing aid to the poorest people in the poorest countries. Why has not that been picked up by the Comptroller and Auditor General? Will the Chairman ensure that the Comptroller's; attention is directed to that matter to ensure that a proper evaluation 14 is made of whether Britain's overseas development technical co-operation programme is, indeed, delivering aid to poor people in poor countries?

§ Sir Peter Hordern
Let me see what I can do and I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.

§ Mr. John Marshall
Will my right hon. Friend suggest that the PAC investigate the huge increase in British exports to Malaysia as a result of the Pergau dam contract and the consequences for British exports of the campaign against that contract that is being run by Opposition Members?

§ Sir Peter Hordern
The PAC may wish to continue its inquiries into the Pergau dam, but that is a matter for the Chairman of the PAC and the Comptroller and Auditor General in consultation with each other.