§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, pursuant to his oral statement of 21 February 2000,Official Report, column 1249, if he will list the oversights of regulatory bodies conducted by the NAO which have considered fair trading issues. [112052]
Mr. Alan WilliamsThe statement referred to was made by the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (Mr. David Davis). I understand that he was referring to the following six reports presented to the House by the Comptroller and Auditor General, each of which deals with or touches on issues of fair trading
The Water Industry in England and Wales: Regulating the Quality of Services to Customers (HC 388 Session 1997–98)The Office of Telecommunications: Countering Anti-Competitive Behaviour in the Telecommunications Industry (HC 667 Session 1997–98)The Office of Electricity Regulation: Improving Energy Efficiency Financed by a Charge on Customers (HC 1006 Session 1997–98)The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets: Giving Customers a Choice—the Introduction of Competition into the Domestic Gas Market (HC 403 Session 1998–99)Insolvency Service Executive Agency: Company Director Disqualification—a Follow Up Report (HC 424 Session 1998–99)The Office of Fair Trading: Protecting the Consumer from Unfair Trading Practices (HC 57 Session 1999–2000).I should add that, like the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, I am sure that the NAO has the expertise and experience to examine fair trading issues in the context of the work of public authorities, and can do so in a non-political way.