Audit chief refuses to sign off Commons accounts

Amyas Morse, the head of the National Audit Office, raised concerns about £13.9m in payments made during the year of the expenses scandal.

He said evidence had not been obtained for another £800,000 and evidence provided for £11.3m of claims were not considered sufficient.

Evidence could not be provided for £1.8m of claims because the MPs concerned were under investigation by the police.

As a result, Mr Morse has qualified the Commons’ accounts for 2009/10 – the first year in which he has been required to examine the claims of MPs in any detail.

The Auditor General was asked to conduct a “full scope” audit of the Commons’ accounts in response to rising public anger about MPs’ expenses last year.

I have not obtained all the information and explanations that I consider necessary. Amyas Morse

Until then, he was only required to check that MPs had signed claims for the cash that was paid out in expenses.

“In respect of the lack of evidence to support entitlement for payment of £13.9m of Members’ allowances, I have not obtained all the information and explanations that I consider necessary for the purpose of my audit, and proper accounting records have not been maintained,” Mr Morse said.

In particular, there was £800,000 of expenditure which could not be backed up by documentation despite “a major exercise to obtain evidence retrospectively”.

The Commons provided supporting documentation for £11.3m of claims but it was insufficient proof that the money had been incurred via parliamentary business.

MP John Thurso, spokesman for the Commons Members Estimate Committee, acknowledged there were areas where “the checks and balances were not adequate”.

But he said the issues had already been identified by the House and stressed that responsibility for administering MPs’ expenses had now been passed to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa).