§ Mr. FlightTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has to give the Financial Services Authority responsibility for investigating the accounts of companies suspected of breaching accounting standards and laws; [92815]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures in place to deter breaches of accounting standards and laws by British businesses. [92827]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonI have been asked to reply.
This is one of the areas currently being looked at by the Co-ordinating Group on Audit and Accounting Issues. They will be presenting their report to my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Chancellor of the Exchequer by the end of the month and I expect my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make a statement.