EU Financial Management

I should tell the hon. Gentleman that when he chases his fox to ground he will—sadly, from his point of view—find that it has died. I, too, have examined the private finance initiative and the ability it provides to keep items off the Government balance sheet, but even if those items were all included the Government, because of the stewardship of the next Prime Minister, would still be within the targets that were set. None the less, I agree with the hon. Gentleman about the dubious nature of some of the off-balance-sheet accounting in which most Governments are involved, so I hope that he will join my all-party group—which will have written to him recently—and promote financial transparency.