§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what moneys have been paid to the Audit Commission by regional health authorities and her Department in the last five years; and if she will break down the figures by the categories of service provided.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe statutory external audit function was transferred to the Audit Commission from the Department of Health with effect from 1 October 1990.
214WThe Audit Commission levies charges directly to each health body. Audit costs for the part year 1990–91 were not analysed separately. For the financial year 1991–92, the total expenditure recorded in the financial statements of regional health authorities was £1,217,614. This figure does not include expenditure by other national health service bodies such as NHS trusts and district health authorities. No further information is available centrally of this expenditure by category of service provided.
Payments were made by the Department for work associated with the paving legislation and for pensions of staff transferred to the Audit Commission.