Lord Bruce of Doningtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have anything to add to the Answer given by the noble Lord, Lord Trefgarne, to the noble Lord, Lord Bruce of Donington, on Tuesday, 9th March 1982.
§ Lord TrefgarneYes. The balance sheets and accounts of the Export Credits Guarantee Department Trading Fund, together with the Comptroller and Auditor General's report thereon, were laid in typescript before another place only, on 2nd March. That action conformed with past practice, consistent over very many years, and is based on the interpretation of Section 5 of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1921, as requiring presentation to another place only since it is a committee of that place (the Public Accounts Committee) that considers the accounts and reports in detail. As a result of the noble Lord's inquiries, the legal requirement is now being re-examined, and without prejudice to the outcome of that re-examination copies of the balance sheets, accounts and the report were laid before this House yesterday.
The reason for the delay in presentation is explained in paragraphs 7 and 8 of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the accounts. Under normal circumstances, it is the practice to lay copies of the "Confidential Final Revise" prints of the accounts and publication of the final prints follows within a matter of days. In view of the delay this year and in order to lay before Parliament at the earliest possible moment, the balance sheets, accounts and report were laid in typescript at the same time as copy was sent to 385WA the printers. There will as a consequence he a longer interval than usual between laying and publication. I can assure the noble Lord, and the House, that every endeavour is being made to achieve publication at the earliest possible date.
386WAI am sorry if I did not make the foregoing clear in my original Answer.
House adjourned at half-past eight o'clock.