§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 11 June,Official Report, columns 233-34, what are the criteria on which the decision is taken to propose provisions for the auditing of non-departmental public bodies by (a) the Comptroller and Auditor General and (b) private accountancy practices; what evaluation has been carried out of the respective merits of the two kinds of audit; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloThe Comptroller and Auditor General is normally appointed auditor for non-departmental public bodies which are wholly or mainly financed from public funds, except in the case of bodies whose operations are of a commercial nature and where it is appropriate for the audit to be carried out by private sector auditors qualified under the Companies Act. In the latter case it is usual to provide for the Comptroller and Auditor General to have a right of inspection of the books and records of the company.