§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of(a) large and (b) small NDPBs are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission. [30472]
§ Dr. WhiteheadThe audit arrangements for all executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are listed in the annual publication "Public Bodies". No audit details are provided for the other types of NDPB as their spend is usually negligible. In the majority of cases the National Audit Office (i.e. the Comptroller and Auditor General) is the external auditor. However, some executive NDPBs employ commercial auditors and, in such cases, the NAO has been granted inspection rights.
The Audit Commission rarely audits NDPB accounts. It does not keep records to enable it to identify separately any NDPB audits. The Audit Commission has only gained responsibility for auditing NDPB accounts when there has been a round of local government reorganisation and where some residuary or stand-alone bodies have been created by statute, which are treated by their founding legislation as local authorities, for the purposes of the Audit Commission Act 1998.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what powers local authorities have to influence the spending and policy of NDPBs that have branches at local level. [30462]
§ Dr. WhiteheadLocal government has no statutory powers to influence the spending and policy of NDPB's that have branches at local level. Various powers exist which enable innovation and closer working between local authorities and their partners, including the discretionary power in the Local Government Act 2000 to do anything they consider likely to promote the economic, social and environmental well being of their area.