Written question asked by Lord Pickles (Conservative) on Thursday, 17 July 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 July 2008. It was answered by Parmjit Dhanda (Labour) on Tuesday, 22 July 2008 on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Audit Commission Act 1998

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance (a) her Department and (b) the Audit Commission has provided on whether members of the public have rights to access the records of safety camera partnerships under the terms of the Audit Commission Act 1998 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003.

Answer: Neither Communities and Local Government nor the Audit Commission provide guidance specifically on this issue.The public's right of inspection under section 15 of the Audit Commission Act 1998 relates to the accounts to be audited and all books, deeds, contracts, vouchers and receipts relating to them, which are placed on deposit during the annual four week inspection period. Where the partnership is accounted for through the authority it is therefore covered on the same basis as any other activity of the authority.

Secondary information