Written question asked by Julian Lewis (Conservative) on Tuesday, 11 May 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 May 1999. It was answered by Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 May 1999 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what qualitative reviews are required by the Audit Commission of the work of district auditors; and how many such reviews were carried out in the case of the District Auditor's investigation of Westminster City Council. - Inc ref to Section 4(1) of the Audit Commission Act 1998.

Answer: Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what qualitative reviews are required by the Audit Commission of the work of district auditors; and how many such reviews were carried out in the case of the District Auditor's investigation of Westminster City Council. [84105] Ms Armstrong: The Commission operates a quality control review process to monitor the performance of auditors and to ensure they comply with its Code of Audit Practice, which is issued under section 4(1) of the Audit Commission Act 1998 and approved by Parliament, and with professional auditing standards. The Commission reviewed the work of the District Auditor's investigation of Westminster City Council designated sales on a number of occasions, most recently in April 1996.

Secondary information