Concern at poor accounting practices

Billy Bell said he was concerned at "the extent of poor accounting, fraud and financial mismanagement" revealed in the Comptroller and Auditor General's annual report.

It investigated the accounts of government departments and other public bodies.

Mr Bell, the chairman of the assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC), said he was disappointed 10 out of 17 accounts did not receive a clean audit opinion.

"It is now almost a year since the Public Accounts Committee reported on Progress on the Implementation of Resource Accounting in Northern Ireland departments," he said.

"At that time, we emphasised that there was a statutory obligation on departments to produce good quality resource accounts by 31 July each year. Many departments have not delivered on this commitment."

'Suspected fraud'

Mr Bell said he was "concerned at the continuing waste of public money" at the Department of Social Development over social security benefits.

This latest report demonstrates all too clearly why Northern Ireland taxpayers need to have their own Public Accounts Committee back in business as soon as possible Billy Bell PAC chairman

"The significant increase in suspected fraud in Income Support and Job Seeker's Allowance is particularly alarming.

"The estimated level of fraud on income support alone is up from �22m at March 2001 to �39.5m at March 2002. This is wholly unacceptable."

Mr Bell, an Ulster Unionist assembly member for Lagan Valley, said he was shocked at the extent to which the Individual Learning Accounts scheme administered by the Department for Employment and Learning was "wide open for fraud and abuse".

"The Audit Office report raises concerns about a wide range of public bodies including the Sports Council, the Child Support Agency and the Environment and Heritage Service," he said.

"This latest report demonstrates all too clearly why Northern Ireland taxpayers need to have their own Public Accounts Committee back in business as soon as possible."