§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the extent of(a) audit and (b) other inspection activity carried out by his Department on the capital grants received by Rhuddlan Borough Council. [48751]
§ Mr. Win GriffithsCapital grants paid to local authorities are subject to conditions and criteria specified by my Department. Local authorities are required to confirm compliance with these when submitting applications for grant support. The Appointed Auditor certifies the accuracy of the final claim submitted in respect of each scheme.
Progress reports are received on major schemes, meetings are held when problems arise, and site visits or inspections are made when necessary. On occasions, as in the case of Rhuddlan's accounts, it is open to interested parties to request a Quality Control Review of the audit process.