HC Deb 18 June 1984 vol 62 c49W
Mr. Eggar

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of (a) civil servants and (b) secondees, who are engaged in internal audit within his Department and the grades and qualifications of each individual; and to what extent the establishment and work carried out by the unit deviates from the nine primary standards listed in "Government Accounting 9/82".

Mr. Butler

The number and grades of civil servants engaged in internal audit duties at 4 June 1984 in the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments are as follows:

Northern Ireland Office Northern Ireland Departments Total
Principal
Deputy Principal* 1 7 8
Staff Officer* 1 15 16
Executive Officer I* 3 23 26
Executive Officer II* 20 20
Clerk* 11 11
TOTAL 5 77½ 82½
* The grades used are Northern Ireland Civil Service grades, their counterparts in the Home Civil Service not being engaged on this work at the present time.

These figures exclude staff engaged on clerical and secretarial support duties.

No persons have been seconded to internal audit units in either the Northern Ireland Office or the Northern Ireland Departments.

Relevant professional and academic qualifications held by internal audit staff are as follows:

Qualification
Accountancy:
Association of Accounting Technicians 1
Computing:
National Computing Centre Basic Certificate in System Analysis 2
Higher National Diploma in Computer Science 1
Business/Commercial:
Higher National Diploma in Business Studies 3

In addition, 20 staff are currently studying for the professional qualification of the Institute of Internal Auditors, and a further three staff are currently studying for other relevant qualifications awarded by the National Computing Centre, the British Computer Society and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. The Department has adopted the nine primary standards listed in "Government Accounting 9/82" and has employed consultants to review internal audit units and check compliance.