§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to prevent partners from the accountancy firms criticised by his Department's inspectors from having a seat on the Accounting Standards Board.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonAppointments to the Accounting Standards Board are a matter for the Financial Reporting Council.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the costs of his Department's investigations which he has recovered under section 439 of the Companies Act 1985 from the auditing firms criticised in the inspectors' reports.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonMy right hon. Friend has no powers under section 439 to require those criticised in an inspectors' report to contribute to the cost of the investigation.