HC Deb 25 May 1978 vol 950 cc701-2W
Mr. Kilfedder

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the audited accounts of the Fair Employment Agency, Equal Opportunities Commission, Labour Relations Agency and the Arts and Sports Councils are expected to be available to the House; and if he is satisfied that there is adequate staffing of the Audit Department to undertake the work and produce the accounts regularly.

Mr. Concannon

The accounts of the Fair Employment Agency and the Equal Opportunities Commission for the period ended 31st March 1977 which are audited by commercial auditors have not yet been presented to the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland as required by the appropriate legislation. As soon as he has examined and reported on these accounts, they will be laid before Parliament in accordance with the relative information.

There is, however, no statutory requirement to lay the annual accounts of the Labour Relations Agency, the Sports Council for Northern Ireland or the Arts

funds; and what is the expected effect on the latter number of the announcement of March 1978 by the Secretary of State for Employment.

Mr. Concannon

The number of persons employed, unemployed, self-employed and retired at the latest available dates are shown in the table below:

Council for Northern Ireland before liament.

The Arts Council is not a statutory body but is registered under the Companies Acts (NI) 1932–1960. Its accounts are published as part of the annual report of the council.

The annual accounts of the Sports Council have been examined by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland for the financial years 1974–75 and 1975–76 and arrangements are in hand to make copies of these accounts available before the Summer Recess. The accounts for the financial year 1976–77 are being examined by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland and, on completion, copies of these accounts will also be made available.

Similar arrangements will also be made for the accounts of the Labour Relations Agency for the period ended 31st March 1977 when their examination is completed.

I am advised that staffing shortages have not been a factor in the work of the Exchequer and Audit Department of these accounts, which is limited to the examination of accounts prepared and audited by others.