§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those private companies which undertook local authority external audits in 1980–81 and 1981–82.
§ Mr. KingThe following firms have been engaged in the external audit of local authority accounts for the financial years 1980–81 and 1981–82, whether as approved auditors appointed under sections 154 and 164 of the Local Government Act 1972, or as district auditors appointed under section 156:—
1980–81
- Messrs. Armitage and Norton.
- Messrs. Arthur Young McClelland Moores and Company.
- Messrs. Coopers and Lybrand.
- Messrs. Davis and Crane.
- Messrs. Deloitte, Haskins and Sells.
- Messrs. Keens Shay Keens.
- Messrs. Larking Gowen.
- Messrs. Neville Russell and Company.
- Messrs. Price Waterhouse.
- Messrs. Robson Rhodes.
- Messrs. Thomson McLintock.
1981–82
- Messrs. Armitage and Norton.
- Messrs. Arthur Anderson.
- Messrs. Arthur Young McClelland Moores and Company.
- Messrs. Coopers and Lybrand.
- Messrs. Davis and Crane.
- Messrs. Deloitte, Haskins and Sells.
- Messrs. Ernst and Whinney.
- Messrs. Keens Shay Keens.
- Messrs. Larking Gowen.
- Messrs. Neville Russell and Company.
- Messrs. Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and Company.
- Messrs. Price Waterhouse.
- Messrs. Robson Rhodes.
- Messrs. Thomson McLintock.
- Messrs. Touche Ross and Company.
- Messrs. Thornton Baker.
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the estimated total cost of local government external audit in each year since 1978.
§ Mr. KingTotal audit fees paid by local authorities in each financial year since 1978–79 are approximately as follows:
£ million 1978–79 6.5 1979–80 8.0 1980–81 8.1 1981–82 9.3 Note: The fees paid in each financial year will partly be in respect of the audits of accounts for preceding financial years. Information on the amount paid in respect of each financial year's accounts is net readily available.
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report, the estimated average cost of the external audit of a non-metropolitan county council in 1981–82, undertaken (a) by the district audit service and (b) by private auditors.
§ Mr. KingThe fee for any audit would be in accordance with the prescribed scale and would be the 819W same whether the audit were undertaken by the district audit service or a private firm. A typical fee for a non-metropolitan county council in respect of the audit of the 1981–82 accounts might be £60,000.