Mr. Robert Watt:

Absolutely. We want to work with the committee. The procedure that is followed is that when a report is issued, the Accounting Officers say whether they agree with the recommendations in the report and whether they will implement them.

We take on board issues that arise regarding amendments to our procedures and guidance on updating public financial procedures. As mentioned earlier, we are updating a variety of circulars on foot of recommendations from the Comptroller and Auditor General following discussion at this committee. This is one way we are addressing this.

We also have Vote officers involved all the time, not just on issues that arise here but on issues that appear regularly. Every week and month issues around Votes arise and Vote officers engage, ask for explanations, question and query initiatives on behalf of taxpayers to ensure the money is spent. In regard to the number of cases mentioned during this meeting, we will be happy to follow up on these and to ask the particular Secretary General about them. In the normal course of events, this is what we would do. To answer the question, we follow up routinely on the issues that arise. Once information comes to light about how money is spent, we go to the various Secretaries General and ask about the issue. They are the Accounting Officers and are responsible and know their obligations under the various procedures that exist.