Can the Home Office be trusted, asks MP [Do we even need to ask, says Me!]
JAMIE LYONS [for the Scotsman]

THE Home Office was yesterday accused of showing a “casual disregard” for taxpayers’ cash after criticism from spending watchdogs.
The Auditor General was forced to issue a “disclaimer of opinion” on the Home Office’s accounts because of fundamental problems with them.
It led a member of the Commons public accounts committee to ask whether taxpayers could trust the Home Office’s handling of money.

[…]

And he singled out the Home Office for particular criticism. He said its accounts presented “such fundamental problems” that he had to issue a disclaimer of opinion because of the lack of audit evidence which he needed to reach an opinion on the truth and fairness of the accounts.
Sir John said the Home Office had not maintained complete financial books and records during the year and as a result was unable to deliver its accounts for audit on time.
The Tory MP Richard Bacon, who sits on the public accounts committee, said the Home Office had shown a “casual disregard for the use of taxpayers’ money”.
And he called for Sir John Gieve, a former Home Office permanent secretary and now deputy governor of the Bank of England, to be called back to explain the “mess” to parliament.

He said: “How can taxpayers possibly have any confidence in the proper use of their money if the Home Office cannot even reconcile its cash?”

Looks like we can’t even guarantee how much of our money will be wasted by the shennanigans of Captain Hogwash and his Home Office pirates. Avast Behind!

This entry was posted on Friday, March 31st, 2006 at 11:16 am and is filed under In.