§ Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress his Department is making with the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting; and in respect of which financial year he expects to publish the first set of resource accounts. [4989]
§ Sir John WheelerNorthern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office continue to progress their plans for the implementation of the changes necessary to support the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting. The Departments are in the course of introducing systems which will enable resource accounts to be published and laid before Parliament for the year 1999–2000.