§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of the Government's science budget was allocated to each constituent college of the university of Wales for each year since 1988; and what is the projected figure for 1993–94.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe approximate proportion of the science budget allocated to the colleges of the University of Wales is shown in the table below for the financial years 1988–89 to 1992–93. This includes expenditure on research grants, studentships and fellowships. Projected figures for 1993–94 are not available as many grants are made in responsive mode and are therefore dependent on project proposals submitted.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonUnder the Companies Act 1989, a person who is an officer or employee of a company—or a partner or employee of such a person—is prohibited from being appointed as auditor of the company. Moreover, under the Act the Secretary of State may recognise supervisory bodies for auditors only if the body appears to him to have adequate rules and practices designed to ensure that company audit work is conducted properly and with integrity, and that persons are not appointed as company auditors in circumstances in which they have an interest likely to conflict with the proper conduct of the audit.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for legislation to require the auditors of public limited companies to publish information about their affairs.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonAn auditor which is a company or an unregistered company within the meaning of the Companies Act 1985 is already subject to the disclosure requirements of that Act. I have no plans to extend those requirements to unincorporated bodies, save for those partnerships which would be subject to the Partnerships and Unlimited Companies (Accounts) Regulations 1993, a draft of which was laid before the House on 21 June.
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