To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures are taken to audit payments made under HealthLink 3 in relation to provision of health facilities and services on St Helena; and whether the scheme provides the taxpayer with value for money.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures are taken to audit payments made under HealthLink 3 in relation to provision of health facilities and services on St Helena; and whether the scheme provides the taxpayer with value for money.

Budget Responsibility and National Audit Bill [HL]. Lords committee stage debate (third day). Clause 4-7 amendments debated. Clauses 4-8 agreed without amendment. Committee adjourned. Grand committee held in the Moses Room

Budget Responsibility and National Audit Bill [HL]. Lords committee stage debate (third day). Clause 4-7 amendments debated. Clauses 4-8 agreed without amendment. Committee adjourned. Grand committee held in the Moses Room

The noble Lord sounds like the fellows in my college whose standard reaction to any proposal of mine is, ““We’ve always done it that way””. One peculiarity in the drafting of this Bill and of the charter is that everything is defined in terms of negatives. What we have in...

The noble Lord sounds like the fellows in my college whose standard reaction to any proposal of mine is, ““We’ve always done it that way””. One peculiarity in the drafting of this Bill and of the charter is that everything is defined in terms of negatives. What we have in...

My Lords, it may be convenient also to consider Amendments 31 and 32. When I first looked at Clause 5(3), it seemed fairly straightforward. It states that if the Government’s policies are relevant to the OBR’s performance of its duties, the office should not look at any alternative policies; that...

My Lords, it may be convenient also to consider Amendments 31 and 32. When I first looked at Clause 5(3), it seemed fairly straightforward. It states that if the Government’s policies are relevant to the OBR’s performance of its duties, the office should not look at any alternative policies; that...

36: Clause 6, page 3, line 10, leave out paragraph (b)

36: Clause 6, page 3, line 10, leave out paragraph (b)

I support the amendment, at least in so far as it relates to Clause 5(2), for much the same reasons as those set out by the noble Lord, Lord Eatwell. These words are meant to be drawn either from the seven tenets of public life set by the Committee on...

I support the amendment, at least in so far as it relates to Clause 5(2), for much the same reasons as those set out by the noble Lord, Lord Eatwell. These words are meant to be drawn either from the seven tenets of public life set by the Committee on...

We had a long debate on this issue at our previous meeting and I am not going to rehearse all the arguments. I suggested, out of frustration, that we were spending too long on this form of words, which, in slightly more words, actually had the same purpose as Amendment...

We had a long debate on this issue at our previous meeting and I am not going to rehearse all the arguments. I suggested, out of frustration, that we were spending too long on this form of words, which, in slightly more words, actually had the same purpose as Amendment...

While I agree with the Minister that doing an assessment yourself makes for a learning experience, having someone else do it makes for an even more pointed learning experience. I apologise to the Minister for the fact that he has been forced to speak half-heartedly about this amendment because he...

While I agree with the Minister that doing an assessment yourself makes for a learning experience, having someone else do it makes for an even more pointed learning experience. I apologise to the Minister for the fact that he has been forced to speak half-heartedly about this amendment because he...

My Lords, Amendment 25 is in my name and that of my noble friend Lord Peston. Everything that I have heard so far this afternoon in these brief debates confirms to me why my noble friend Lord Peston and I have been right to wonder whether the huge expense of...

My Lords, Amendment 25 is in my name and that of my noble friend Lord Peston. Everything that I have heard so far this afternoon in these brief debates confirms to me why my noble friend Lord Peston and I have been right to wonder whether the huge expense of...

37: Clause 7, page 3, line 16, leave out ““aim to””

37: Clause 7, page 3, line 16, leave out ““aim to””

My Lords, the amendment, which has a whole clause to itself, is not difficult to understand. The Bill as drafted states: "““The Office must aim to carry out its functions efficiently and cost-effectively””." The amendment seeks to delete the words ““aim to”” so that it reads, ““The Office must carry...

My Lords, the amendment, which has a whole clause to itself, is not difficult to understand. The Bill as drafted states: "““The Office must aim to carry out its functions efficiently and cost-effectively””." The amendment seeks to delete the words ““aim to”” so that it reads, ““The Office must carry...

My Lords, of course the OBR should be cost-effective and efficient—there is no question about that—and the amendment seeks to increase the requirement for it to be so. However, in reality the amendment would not change in substance the requirement on the OBR because, if it was ever challenged on...

My Lords, of course the OBR should be cost-effective and efficient—there is no question about that—and the amendment seeks to increase the requirement for it to be so. However, in reality the amendment would not change in substance the requirement on the OBR because, if it was ever challenged on...

I am not sure whether this will help, but just to be clear, we are expecting the OBR to assess the impact of policies on forecasts. So there is no question of merits and demerits, other than that we are trying to exclude all questions of merit and demerit and...

I am not sure whether this will help, but just to be clear, we are expecting the OBR to assess the impact of policies on forecasts. So there is no question of merits and demerits, other than that we are trying to exclude all questions of merit and demerit and...

We have always done it that way.

We have always done it that way.