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Northern Ireland Office

Answer

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the financial situation of (a) the South East Education and Library Board and (b) the Belfast Education and Library Board. [195511] Mr. Gardiner: Both boards have confirmed that they overspent their financial allocations for 2003-04. The South Eastern Education and Library Board has recorded, in its accounts for 2003-04, a deficit of £5.6 million. The figure for the Belfast Education and Library Board is expected to be confirmed at £5.4 million. Both boards were asked, as a matter of urgency, to bring forward plans setting out the actions that would need to be taken to ensure that expenditure in the current financial year is contained within the budgetary limits voted by Parliament. I have now received these plans and will examine them carefully to assess the impact that the proposed actions are likely to have. I remain concerned about standards of financial management and control in both boards. That is why I am today announcing an inquiry into the financial position in both boards. The inquiry will focus on the financial controls in place in each board and on how each board has discharged its responsibilities, including those responsibilities that fall personally to its designated Accounting Officer. Dr. Bill Jack, the former Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland, has agreed to lead this inquiry. I believe that his experience, independence and expertise will ensure a fair and thorough process. To help him in his work, we have decided that this should be a Statutory Inquiry, thus allowing Dr. Jack full powers to access all relevant documentation and information. I envisage that findings from this inquiry will be available very early in the new year.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

195511; 426 c779W;426 c783-4W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Finance Belfast Education and Library Board South Eastern Education and Library Board

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk