National Audit Office

HC Deb 03 November 1997 vol 300 cc5-6W

41. Mr. Bayley

What additional resources the Comptroller and Auditor General would require to enable the National Audit Office to respond to requests for studies from departmental Select Committees. [11776]

Mr. Sheldon

In the event of departmental select committees requesting studies from the Comptroller and Auditor General and the National Audit Office, the matter would need to be discussed with the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts. The Comptroller and Auditor General and the National Audit Office wish to assist Parliament in any way possible, but it is important that any change should be consistent with the Comptroller and Auditor General statutory role.

The resource implications of any such arrangements would depend entirely on the scope of the work proposed. It would be for Parliament to decide what additional resources to provide to enable the Comptroller and Auditor General to support departmental select committeesinthisway.