§ 33. Mr. Andrew Robathan (Blaby)If he will take steps to ensure that the National Audit Office has sufficient resources to enable it properly to audit the Government Information and Communication Service. [61374]
§ Mr. Robert Sheldon (Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission)The Commission meets regularly to assess the adequacy of the resources of the National Audit Office. The Government Information and Communication Service is a cross-Government service of about 1,000 communications specialists employed to engage in the full range of Government information activities. The activities of the service's members are audited as part of the annual financial audit of each Department undertaken by the Comptroller and Auditor-General.
§ Mr. RobathanIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the disingenuous Government campaign that is unnecessarily frightening small businesses into preparing for the euro, even though a maximum of one in 10 are likely to be affected by it? Does he agree that the campaign might be propaganda and an abuse of public money; and will he ensure that the NAO has the money to investigate it, especially in the light of the Neill report?
§ Mr. SheldonAs the hon. Gentleman may know, the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Richard Wilson, considers the boundary between party political advocacy and the presentation of Government policy. It is right that he should be in that position, and I am sure that he will draw the distinguishing line between the two forms of activity.