§ Lord Houghton of Sowerbyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the terms of contracts placed with private suppliers of personnel services to departments of Her Majesty's Government will be open to scrutiny and report by the Audit Commission.
The Earl of CaithnessThe Audit Commission is the external auditor of local authorities and the NHS in England and Wales and has no responsibility for the audit of government departments. The external audit of government departments is the responsibility of the Comptroller and Auditor-General who may examine these matters as he sees fit within the powers available to him.