§ Mr. ByersTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many files marked "Not for National Audit Office Eyes" are currently held by his Department. [24860]
Mr. John M. TaylorNo central record is kept by my Department of files marked "Not for NAO Eyes". For each NAO study, a number of divisions in different locations may be involved and each may possess in its registries a file with a number of parts—for example, individual jackets. The information requested is therefore not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The marking "Not for NAO Eyes" is used in accordance with an agreement between the Treasury and the National Audit Office, under which documents relating to the handling of relations between Departments and the NAO and Public Accounts Committee are not automatically available to the NAO while they are current.