§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he expects to publish the indicative budgets for the Welsh training and enterprise councils; and what proposals he has for improving accountability in the training and enterprise councils.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Welsh Office is finalising contracts with TECs for 1994–95 budgets and the information is not yet available.
The Government have decided that TEC level information should be released publicly only after the beginning of the contracting year. The information must remain commercial in confidence while TECs are negotiating with their providers. The information requested on allocations for 1994–95 will therefore be publicly available on 1 October 1994.
TECs are companies limited by guarantee and subject to the audit provisions of the Companies Acts 1985 to 1989. They are also subject to internal audit, and to further audit scrutiny by the National Audit Office and the European Court of Auditors. The Welsh Office contracts with TECs each year through operating agreements which set out additional requirements of accountability, including the preparation of published reports and arrangements for public meetings.