§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the estimated cost of auditing the accounts of the Newham district health authority for the years 1982–83; what arrangements are being made for the audit of accounts of 1983–84; and at what cost.
§ Mr. John PattenThe cost of auditing the accounts of the Newham district health authority for the year 1982–83 was £11,500. We have made arrangements for the 1983–84 audit to be conducted by a firm of chartered accountants, Deloitte Haskins and Sells, as part of the extension of the use of independent firms which I announced on 21 July 95W 1983. —[Vol. 46, c. 211–12.] I am unable to breach commercial confidence by divulging its fee, but I can state that the total cost of the audits comprising this extension will be £108,600 plus VAT as against £70,000 for 1982–83.