HC Deb 07 May 1912 vol 38 cc349-50W
Mr. MALCOLM

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will grant a Return, based upon the auditors' registers, showing all the charges, surcharges, and disallowances made by the auditors during the past five years at the audit of the accounts of all public bodies in Ireland, including any council, board, commissioners, committee, county council, district or borough council, and board of guardians whose accounts are subject to audit by an auditor of the Local Government Board, the Return to include cases where moneys have been paid or refunded before the close of the audit without formal surcharge?

Mr. BIRRELL

A Return of the nature asked for would involve an exhaustive search through every audit report received by the Local Government Board during the last five years, and could not be procured without an expenditure of time and labour out of all proportion to its public utility. The Annual Reports of the Local Government Board contain details of all sums disallowed or found due on audit of union accounts, and also contain statements respecting the appeals made to them against charges, disallowances, and other matters in connection with the accounts of all public bodies whose accounts are-audited by the Board.