§ Mr. Cockeramasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is yet able to make a statement on the independent audit of district health authorities.
§ Mr. FowlerI have decided to appoint six firms of accountants to audit the accounts of eight selected district health authorities. The appointments will be for a trial period of three to five years starting with the accounts for the year ending 31 March 1983.
Health authority audits are normally conducted by staff of the audit directorate of the Department of Health and Social Security. In August 1981 the Department advertised in the professional press inviting the submission of tenders by interested independent firms of accountants. The move followed an approach by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, suggesting that commercial auditors could make a valuable contribution to the quality of financial audit and to value for money audit in the NHS.
After consideration of the tenders, I have approved the offer of appointments as follows:
District Health Authority and Auditor
East Cumbria
- Robson Rhodes, Chartered Accountants.
South Cumbria
- Robson Rhodes, Chartered Accountants.
West Cumbria
- Neville Russell, Chartered Accountants.
Hammersmith and Fulham
- Armitage and Norton, Chartered Accountants.
Hounslow and Spelthorne
475W
- Armitage and Norton, Chartered Accountants.
Ealing
- Coopers and Lybrand, Chartered Accountants.
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
- Ernst and Whinney, Chartered Accountants.
Isle of Wight
- Deloitte, Haskins and Sells, Chartered Accountant.