§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many days were taken to carry out European social fund audits on each TEC in Greater London. [18517]
§ Mr. PaiceSince September 1992, five visits have been carried out by auditors from the Department's ESF unit and from European institutions to TECs in Greater London looking specifically at European social fund activity. A total of 10 man days have been spent by Department staff on site visits, and a total of six days have been spent by European institution auditors.
In addition to the site visits, time has been spent on preparatory and follow-up work. The amount of time spent on this activity is not recorded on an individual case basis.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many different types of audit each TEC in Great Britain has undergone. [18519]
§ Mr. PaiceTraining and enterprise councils in England are private limited companies and, since they were established in 1990–91, they have been audited each year by their statutory auditors. They are also required to have an effective internal audit function.
Government office financial appraisal and monitoring teams check contract compliance regularly and each TEC is also subject to Government office audits on health and safety and quality assurance arrangements with its suppliers.
The Department's internal audit team also visits a small sample of TECs each year as part of a biennial examination of Government office expenditure. Their role is to provide the necessary assurance to the DFEE accounting officer that moneys voted by Parliament have been properly disbursed. They also undertake work on behalf of other Government Departments to minimise the number of different Government auditors visiting TECs.
The National Audit Office visits a small sample of TECs each year as part of its examination of the Department's appropriation account. The NAO may also from time to time pay visits to TECs as part of its wider role in researching, for example, value-for-money issues.
Where TECs are in receipt of funding from the European Commisison, they are under an obligation to grant access to representatives of the Commission of the European Court of Auditors to examine its records at any reasonable time. The Department also conducts specialised monitoring of TEC claims from the European social fund.
Responsibility for auditing arrangements for TECs in Wales and local enterprise councils in Scotland rests respectively with the Secretary of State for Wales and the Secretary of State for Scotland.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many days were taken to carry out quality and health and safety audits on each TEC in Greater London. [18516]
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§ Mr. PaiceGovernment office for London staff spent 14 person days on quality and health and safety audits in each training and enterprise council in London.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many days were taken to carry out financial control audits on each TEC in Greater London. [18518]
§ Mr. PaiceThe number of person days spent on financial controls audits in London training and enterprise councils during the last 12 months was as follows:
- AZTEC: 216
- CENTEC: 208
- CILNTEC: 163
- LETEC: 229
- NLTEC: 169
- NWLTEC: 186
- SOLOTEC: 217
- WLTEC: 261
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the cost of carrying out European social fund audits on each of the Greater London TECs. [18520]
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the cost of carrying out quality and health and safety audits on each of the Greater London TECs. [18514]
§ Mr. PaiceThe estimated cost for each training and enterprise council of carrying out quality and health and safety audits during the last 12 months was £2,100.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the cost of carrying out financial control audits on each of the Greater London TECs. [18515]
§ Mr. PaiceThe estimated cost of carrying out financial control audits in each of the London training and enterprise councils during the last 12 months was as follows:
- AZTEC: £27,000
- CENTEC: £25,000
- CILNTEC: £20,000
- LETEC: £24,000
- NLTEC: £17,000
- NWLTEC: £23,000
- SOLOTEC: £22,000
- WLTEC: £31,000
§ Dr. TwinnTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress Essex, North London and North West London training and enterprise councils, and Northamptonshire chamber of commerce, training and enterprise are making in meeting the criteria for the award of a three-year licence. [19337]
§ Mr. PaiceI am pleased to announce the award of a three-year licence to Essex, North London and North West London training and enterprise councils and Northamptonshire chamber of commerce, training and enterprise which have now completed the process of meeting the rigorous standards we set.
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