Annette Brooke joins the Public Accounts Committee and comments on its latest report

11.53.06am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 25th Apr 2006

Local MP Annette Brooke has been appointed to the Public Accounts Committee which acts as a watchdog for Government spending.

As a member of the Committee, Annette will be part of the team that scrutinises the government's accounts, ensures that the money allocated by Parliament to the Government is spent efficiently, effectively, and gives value for money. As an economics graduate and former economics teacher and lecturer, Annette Brooke is well qualified for such an influential and highly respected Select Committee of the House of Commons.

Commenting on the Public Accounts Committee's Inland Revenue Standard Report: New Tax Credits, published today Annette Brooke MP, said:

"This report shows the shambolic state of the tax credit system and the effect it is having on millions of low income families across Britain.

"It is clear that the Government has yet to get to grips with the magnitude of the problem in the tax credit system. We should by now have moved to a system of fixed awards and clearer award notices.

"Given that the Tax Credit system is one of the biggest issues in my postbag, I am delighted to have been appointed to the Select Committee which scrutinises such areas of the government's work. I look forward to tackling many other areas of government waste and inefficiency in order to get the best value for money for all taxpayers."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Summary of the duties of the Public Accounts Committee:

The main work of the Committee is the examination of the Reports produced by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) on his value for money (VFM) studies of the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which Government Departments and other bodies have used their resources to further their objectives. About 50 of these reports are adopted by the Committee, either by taking oral evidence or, occasionally, by sending written questions to the Government departments concerned. The Committee's objective is to draw lessons from past successes and failures which can be applied to future activity by the department examined or more generally.

Future Business of the Public Accounts Committee:

24/04/06 Enhancing urban green spaces

03/05/06 Gaining and retaining a job: The Department for Work and Pensions' support for disabled people

08/05/06 Sale of gas networks by National Grid: the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets

10/05/06 Tackling childhood obesity - first steps

22/05/06 Out of hours services (Dept. of Health)

24/05/06 Tsunami - provision of financial support for humanitarian assistance

The Committee's work is closely linked to that of: the National Audit Office