§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what procedures are in place to ensure that the budget and means of the Welsh Consumer Council are properly agreed and controlled so that the Council is at no time able to exceed agreed spending limits or act without due authority; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Welsh Consumer Council's budget is set at a level agreed between the National Consumer Council and the Scottish and Welsh Consumer Councils from the grant-in-aid the NCC receives from the Department of Trade and Industry. The Welsh Consumer Council has established procedures for controlling and monitoring its own expenditure within the agreed limit, although the NCC is responsible, under the terms of the grant-in-aid conditions, for ensuring expenditure is properly authorised and that expenditure is contained within the agreed allocation.