§ Sir R. BLAIRasked the Minister of Health whether he will promote legislation to ensure the audit of all municipal accounts by qualified accountants under his own Department?
§ Dr. ADDISONQualified auditors under my Department now audit all the accounts of all local authorities except borough councils. In the case of 59 boroughs the whole of their accounts are subject to Government audit, but the remaining boroughs, about 300 in number, submit only certain of their accounts to my auditors. The question of extending Government audit, as suggested by my hon. Friend, is, I understand, one of the matters now being considered by a Committee which has been appointed by the Treasury to report on the audit of Exchequer Grants.