New accountability arrangements for further education colleges

The Assembly has approved new arrangements for further education colleges in Northern Ireland.

The Institutions of Further Education (Public Sector Audit) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008 enables the Comptroller and Auditor General in Northern Ireland (C&AG) to become the external auditor of the Institutions of Further Education (further education colleges).

Speaking after the motion, Finance Minister Dodds said: “The new powers will strengthen the audit and accountability arrangements in the colleges and will provide additional independent assurance on the propriety, regularity and value for money of public expenditure.”

These changes in audit arrangements follow the restructuring of colleges from 16 to six larger area-based colleges last year. The Comptroller and Auditor General will become the external auditor for the further education colleges and subject them to public sector audit requirements.

Notes to editors:

1. The Order enables the C&AG to become the external auditor for the Institutions of Further Education which will now be subject to public sector audit requirements set out in the Audit and Accountability (Northern Ireland) Order 2003. Existing value for money audit powers are unaffected by this change.
2. Within the wider UK, Audit Scotland provides the external audit to the further education colleges in Scotland and the Welsh Assembly is proposing to introduce similar arrangements in Wales during 2009. The National Audit Office in England has no plans to audit further education colleges.
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