House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts Minutes of Proceedings Session 2007–08 HC ?????? by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £0.00 The Committee of Public Accounts The Committee of Public Accounts is appointed by the House of Commons to examine “the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit” (Standing Order No 148). Membership as of 27 November 2008 Mr Edward Leigh MP Chairman (Conservative, Gainsborough) Mr Richard Bacon MP (Conservative, South Norfolk) Angela Browning MP (Tiverton & Honiton) Mr Paul Burstow MP (Liberal Democrat, Sutton and Cheam) Rt Hon David Curry MP (Conservative, Skipton & Ripon) Mr Ian Davidson MP (Labour, Glasgow South West) Mr Philip Dunne MP (Conservative, Ludlow) Angela Eagle MP (Labour, Wallasey) Nigel Griffiths MP (Edinburgh South) Rt Hon Keith Hill MP (Streatham) Mr Austin Mitchell MP (Labour, Great Grimsby) Dr John Pugh MP (Liberal Democrat, Southport) Geraldine Smith MP (Morecombe & Lundesdale) Rt Hon Don Touhig MP (Labour, Islwyn) Rt Hon Alan Williams MP (Labour, Swansea West) Phil Wilson MP (Sedgefield) The following was also a member of the committee during the session. Chris Bryant MP (Rhonnda) Mr Philip Dunne MP (Conservative, Ludlow) Mr John Healey MP (Labour, Wentworth) Ian Lucas MP (Wrexham) Derek Wyatt MP (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) Powers Powers of the Committee of Public Accounts are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 148. These are available on the Internet via www.parliament.uk. Publications The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at http://www.parliament.uk/pac. Committee staff The current staff of the Committee is Mark Etherton (Clerk), Lorna Horton (Senior Committee Assistant), Pam Morris (Committee Assistant) Jane Lauder (Committee Assistant) and Alex Paterson (Media Officer). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk, Committee of Public Accounts, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 5708; the Committee’s email address is [email protected] Proceedings of the Committee WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2007 Members present: Mr Edward Leigh, in the Chair Mr Richard Bacon Dr John Pugh Mr Philip Dunne Mr Don Touhig Mr Austin Mitchell Mr Alan Williams 1. Helping individuals understand and complete their tax forms Mr Tim Burr, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General, and Jane Wheeler, Director, National Audit Office, were in attendance. Mr Marius Gallaher, Alternate Treasury Officer of Accounts, was in attendance. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report, Helping individuals understand and complete their tax forms (HC 452), was considered. Mr Paul Gray CB, Chairman and Mr Nick Lodge, Director, Customer Contact, HM Revenue and Customs, gave oral evidence (HC 47-i). [Adjourned until Monday 12 November at 4.30 pm. MONDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2007 Members present: Mr Edward Leigh, in the Chair Mr Richard Bacon Mr Austin Mitchell Mr Philip Dunne Phil Wilson Keith Hill 1. Declaration of interests Keith Hill disclosed his interests in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992. Phil Wilson disclosed his interests in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992. 2. The compensation scheme for former Icelandic water trawlermen Sir John Bourn KCB, Comptroller and Auditor General, and Peter Gray, Director, National Audit Office, were in attendance. Ms Paula Diggle, Treasury Officer of Accounts, was in attendance. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report, The compensation scheme for former Icelandic water trawlermen (HC 530), was considered. Sir Brian Bender KCB, Permanent Secretary, and Mr Tim Soane, Director, Employment Relations Directorate, Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, gave oral evidence (HC 71-i) [Adjourned until Wednesday 14 November at 3.30 pm. WEDNESDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2007 Members present: Mr Edward Leigh, in the Chair Mr Richard Bacon Nigel Griffiths Mr David Curry Mr Austin Mitchell Mr Ian Davidson Mr Don Touhig Mr Philip Dunne Mr Alan Williams 1. Declaration of interests Nigel Griffiths disclosed his interests in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992. 2. The budget for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Sir John Bourn KCB, Comptroller and Auditor General, and Keith Hawkswell, Director, National Audit Office, were in attendance and gave oral evidence. Mr Marius Gallaher, Alternate Treasury Officer of Accounts, was in attendance and gave oral evidence. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report, The budget for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (HC 612), was considered. Mr Jonathan Stephens, Permanent Secretary, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and Mr David Higgins, Olympic Delivery Authority, gave oral evidence (HC 85-i). [Adjourned until Monday 19 November at 4.30 pm. MONDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2007 Members present: Mr Edward Leigh, in the Chair Mr Richard Bacon Dr John Pugh Angela Browning Geraldine Smith Mr David Curry Mr Don Touhig Nigel Griffiths Mr Alan Williams Keith Hill Phil Wilson Mr Austin Mitchell 1. Declaration of interests Geraldine Smith disclosed her interests in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992. 2. Housing Market Renewal Sir John Bourn KCB, Comptroller and Auditor General, and David Corner, Director, National Audit Office, were in attendance and gave oral evidence. Ms Paula Diggle, Treasury Officer of Accounts, was in attendance and gave oral evidence. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report, Housing Market Renewal (HC 20), was considered. Peter Housden, Permanent Secretary, Richard McCarthy, Director General of Programmes, Policy & Innovation, Department for Communities and Local Government, Michael Gahagan CB, Chair, Transform South Yorkshire, and Siobhan McCoy, Divisional Manager, Housing Market Renewal Initiative, Liverpool City Council, gave oral evidence (HC 106-i). 3. HMRC Standard Report 2006-07: Tax credits: PAYE The Committee considered this matter. [Adjourned until Wednesday 21 November at 3.30 pm. WEDNESDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2007 Members present: Mr Edward Leigh, in the Chair Mr Richard Bacon Keith Hill Angela Browning Mr Austin Mitchell Mr David Curry Mr Don Touhig Mr Ian Davidson Mr Alan Williams Mr Philip Dunne Phil Wilson Nigel Griffiths 1. Loss of data at HM Revenue and Customs The Committee considered this matter. 2. The Pensions Regulator Sir John Bourn KCB, Comptroller and Auditor General, and Chris Shapcott, Director, National Audit Office, were in attendance and gave oral evidence. Ms Paula Diggle, Treasury Officer of Accounts, was in attendance. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report, The Pensions Regulator (HC 1035), was considered. Tony Hobman, Chairman, David Norgrove, Chief Executive, The Pensions Regulator and Bill Galvin, Department for Work and Pensions, gave oral evidence (HC 122-i). [Adjourned until Monday 26 November at 4.30 pm. MONDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2007 Members present: Mr Edward Leigh, in the Chair Mr Richard Bacon Mr Austin Mitchell Angela Browning Dr John Pugh Mr David Curry Geraldine Smith Mr Philip Dunne Mr Don Touhig Nigel Griffiths Phil Wilson Keith Hill 1. The Privatisation of QinetiQ The Committee considered this matter. Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from QinetiQ. 2. HMRC loss of data The Committee considered this matter. Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from HM Revenue and Customs. 3. Sustainable employment: supporting people to stay in work and advance Sir John Bourn KCB, Comptroller and Auditor General, and Trish Brown, Director, National Audit Office, were in attendance. Mr Marius Gallaher, Alternate Treasury Officer of Accounts, was in attendance. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report, Sustainable employment: supporting people to stay in work and advance (HC 32), was considered. Adam Sharples, Director-General, Work, Welfare and Equality Group, Department for Work and Pensions, Stephen Marston, Director-General, Further Education and Skills Group, Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills, Mark Haysom, Chief Executive, Learning and Skills Council and Lesley Strathie, Chief Executive, Jobcentre Plus, gave oral evidence (HC 131-i). 4. The Committee’s future programme—Winter/Spring 2008 The Committee considered this matter. [Adjourned until Wednesday 28 November at 3.30 pm. WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2007 Members present: Mr Edward Leigh, in the Chair Mr Ian Davidson Keith Hill Angela Eagle Mr Austin Mitchell Nigel Griffiths 1. Government on the internet: progress in delivering information and service Sir John Bourn KCB, Comptroller and Auditor General, and Keith Holden, Director, National Audit Office, were in attendance. Mr Marius Gallaher, Alternate Treasury Officer of Accounts, was in attendance. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report, Government on the internet: progress in delivering information and service (HC 529), was considered. Alexis Cleveland, Director-General, Transformational Government, John Suffolk, Chief Information Officer, Cabinet Office and Alan Bishop, Chief Executive, Central Office of Information, gave oral evidence (HC 143-i). [Adjourned until Monday 3 December at 4.30 pm. MONDAY 3 DECEMBER 2007 Members present: Mr Edward Leigh, in the Chair Mr Richard Bacon Dr John Pugh Angela Browning Geraldine