§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which non-departmental public bodies are sponsored by his Department; which of these are audited by the National Audit Office; which firms of private accountants audits each of the others; by what method of tendering contracts to such firms are awarded; and for what duration.
Mr. John M. TaylorNon-departmental public bodies which are sponsored by the LCD are listed in the HMSO publication "Public Bodies 1991 "—ISBN No. 011 4300 64X. Normal National Audit Office arrangements apply for all the LCD's non-departmental public bodies except in the following cases where the statutory provisions governing the body allow for external auditors to be appointed: the Legal Aid Board, which has appointed Messrs. Chantrey Vellacott for an initial period of two years following a competitive tender; the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board, which is audited by Messrs. Finnie & Co., who were chosen in preference to one other firm and where the contract between the board and Finnies is for no specific duration; and the Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct, where the appointment of auditors is currently the subject of competitive tendering.