§ Mr. Tim Smithasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what responses he has received to the Green Paper "The Role of the Comptroller and Auditor General"; and whether he proposes to seek amendment of the Exchequer and Audit Department Acts.
§ Mr. RidleyFollowing publication of the Green Paper (Cmnd. 7845) in March 1980, the Committee of Public Accounts gave its views on the role of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) in its First Special Report, Session 1980–81. Appendices to this report contained comments on the Green Paper received from other bodies and individuals. This report and the White Paper on the role of the C&AG, Cmnd. 8323, were the subject of a debate in the House on 30 November 1981. The Treasury and Civil Service Committee has since commented on certain aspects of the role of the C&AG in its Third Report, Session 1981–82 on Efficiency and Effectiveness in the Civil Service.
In Cmnd. 8323 the Government did not propose any amendment to the Exchequer and Audit Acts. As I told the House on 19 April—(c. 97)—informal discussions are taking place with certain right hon. and hon. Members on issues relating to the role of the C&AG, subsequent to the debate on 30 November last.