§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to investigate the electoral procedures of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonI have no such plans.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the accountancy firms preparing the compilation reports for small companies are to be exempt from the monitoring requirements of the Companies Act 1989.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonI shall be making a statement shortly on this and other details of the implementation of the proposed relaxation of the audit requirement for small companies.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what oral or written discussions he or his Department has had with any official of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants about its internal democracy ;
(2) what discussions he or his Department has held with any representative of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants in respect of its democracy.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonMy Department has been told by the association that electoral reform will be one of a180W number of subjects which will feature in proposals for revisions to its bye-laws. These will be put to its council and members in a general meeting, in due course.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his Department's policy in relation to the award of contracts to accountancy firms(a) against whom legal proceedings are being taken and (b) who have been criticised in the DTI inspectors report.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Hartpool (Mr. Mandelson) on 27 October,Official Report, column 671.