Audit Commission: National Audit Office

Robert Neill Excerpts

Wednesday 6th July 2011 Ministerial Corrections

[Andrew Griffiths]

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what dates representatives of the Audit Commission dined with representatives of the National Audit Office paid for by the public purse since 2007-08; in which restaurants each meal took place; and at what cost.

[Official Report, 20 June 2011, Vol. 530, c. 50W.]

Letter of correction from Robert Neill:

The Audit Commission have identified an error in the answer they provided to my Department which accompanied the written answer given to the hon. Member for Burton (Andrew Griffiths) on 20 June 2011. Professor Sir Andrew Likierman NAO was omitted from the list.

The full answer given was as follows:

[Robert Neill]

This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to respond to my hon. Friend direct.

Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 20 June 2011:

Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.

The Commission has paid for meals with the NAO on five occasions since 2007/08:

1 November 2007 the then MD, Communications met with Gabrielle Cohen, Assistant Auditor General NAO for lunch. Information on the location and cost is no longer available.

3 December 2007 Steve Bundred, Chief Executive and Sir John Bourn, Comptroller and Auditor General of the NAO, dined at L'Escargot at a cost of £103.39;

5 May 2009 Steve Bundred, Chief Executive, Michael O'Higgins, Chairman and Amyas Morse, Comptroller and Auditor General of the NAO dined at Qurinale at a cost of £240.19;

14 September 2009 David Walker, MD Communications met with Gabrielle Cohen, Assistant Auditor General NAO at the Ebury Wine Bar at a cost of £53.04; and

7 April 2010 David Walker, MD Communications met with Gabrielle Cohen, Assistant Auditor General NAO at the Footstool restaurant at a cost of £22.50.

The Commission dined with the NAO on three occasions where the Commission did not pay.

11 June 2007 Steve Bundred, Chief Executive and Sir John Bourn, Comptroller and Auditor General of the NAO met for dinner at Wiltons;

15 January 2009 David Walker, MD Communications met with Gabrielle Cohen, Assistant Auditor General NAO for lunch at the Ebury Wine Bar; and

2 February 2011 Eugene Sullivan, Chief Executive had a breakfast meeting with the Comptroller and Auditor General of the NAO, Amyas Morse at the Mint Hotel.

The correct answer should have been:

[Robert Neill]

This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to respond to my hon. Friend direct.

Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 20 June 2011:

Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.

The Commission has paid for meals with the NAO on five occasions since 2007/08:

1 November 2007 the then MD, Communications met with Gabrielle Cohen, Assistant Auditor General NAO for lunch. Information on the location and cost is no longer available.

3 December 2007 Steve Bundred, Chief Executive and Sir John Bourn, Comptroller and Auditor General of the NAO, dined at L'Escargot at a cost of £103.39;

5 May 2009 Steve Bundred, Chief Executive, Michael O'Higgins, Chairman, Professor Sir Andrew Likierman, Chairman NAO and Amyas Morse, Comptroller and Auditor General of the NAO dined at Qurinale at a cost of £240.19;

14 September 2009 David Walker, MD Communications met with Gabrielle Cohen, Assistant Auditor General NAO at the Ebury Wine Bar at a cost of £53.04; and

7 April 2010 David Walker, MD Communications met with Gabrielle Cohen, Assistant Auditor General NAO at the Footstool restaurant at a cost of £22.50.

The Commission dined with the NAO on three occasions where the Commission did not pay.

11 June 2007 Steve Bundred, Chief Executive and Sir John Bourn, Comptroller and Auditor General of the NAO met for dinner at Wiltons;

15 January 2009 David Walker, MD Communications met with Gabrielle Cohen, Assistant Auditor General NAO for lunch at the Ebury Wine Bar; and

2 February 2011 Eugene Sullivan, Chief Executive had a breakfast meeting with the Comptroller and Auditor General of the NAO, Amyas Morse at the Mint Hotel.