Departmental Annual Reports

HC Deb 24 February 2003 vol 400 cc207-8W

Mr. Wyatt

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it compulsory for departmental annual reports to include a full statement of accounts. [98123]

Mr. Boateng

Under the Government Resource and Accounts Act 2000, the Treasury must lay departmental resource accounts before the House of Commons no later than 31 January of the financial year following that to which they relate. Departments are currently required to publish their accounts either on the day their accounts are laid or as shortly as possible thereafter. There are no plans to reproduce the accounts in the spring departmental reports.