I thank noble Lords who have contributed. These amendments relate to ARIA’s annual report and to other information to be provided to Parliament. As set out in Schedule 1, ARIA’s accounts must be prepared annually, alongside an annual report, which it will send to the Secretary of State, who must lay the report in Parliament.
Addressing Amendment 11 first, I am happy to assure the noble Baroness that ARIA will be audited by the National Audit Office—and I reassure the noble Viscount, Lord Stansgate, on that as well. The point was also well made by my noble friend Lady Noakes that the National Audit Office will be able to conduct value-for-money examinations of ARIA; the National Audit Office never shows any reticence to do precisely that. Indeed, it is able to do that as per the National Audit Act 1983 in the usual way, and the same controls apply to many other public organisations. As some of my spending schemes, within my responsibility, have been subject to National Audit Office examinations, I can assure noble Lords that it is extremely rigorous, as indeed it should be.
Other amendments relate to the specific contents of ARIA’s annual report. I agree on the importance of robust transparency and reporting arrangements in this regard. That is why ARIA’s annual report will align with the Government Financial Reporting Manual, which, for example, could require ARIA to publish information on its aims and achievements, performance, organisational structure, corporate governance and accountability.
On the list of projects that was asked for in Amendment 12 by the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, publishing a list of delivery partners is not one, in my view, for primary legislation. The details of the annual report will be part of the framework document and, of course, the annual accounts will provide details of exactly where ARIA spends its money.
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In response to the points raised in the amendment by the noble Lord, Lord Ravensdale, and the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Browne, on environmental
and social governance issues, the Treasury’s sustainable reporting guidance already includes advice on issues such as resource efficiency and on procuring sustainable products and services. These are standard arrangements that are in place for all public bodies. I submit to noble Lords that it is therefore not necessary or beneficial to add further obligations in the Bill.
Amendments 13 and 14 would require ARIA’s annual report to include a statement on whether any funding has gone to institutions with connections to members of this House or the other place or listed in the Electoral Commission’s register of donations and loans to political parties. Of course, I entirely understand why the noble Baroness wants to raise these points at the moment to contribute to her party’s campaigns, but I do not believe that this Bill is the right place to deal with the issues that she raised. ARIA will operate at arm’s length from government, outside day-to-day political influence. The values of integrity and honesty that are required to run such an organisation are indeed qualities that we are looking for in the current recruitment of ARIA’s CEO.
Furthermore, it is my strong belief that sufficient measures are in place to ensure appropriate propriety in ARIA’s activities. Under the principles in Managing Public Money, ARIA will be expected to carry out its functions “in the public interest” and to the appropriate “high ethical standards”. As ARIA’s accounting officer, the CEO will be accountable to Parliament for ensuring the propriety of all ARIA’s activities. I hope that this has given the noble Baroness the assurances that she is looking for—I suspect not. Nevertheless, ARIA will always be expected to work with integrity and held to account by Parliament for its activities.
I move on to amendments focused on information provided to Parliament. Amendment 15 would require a Minister of the Crown to make a Statement in both Houses on ARIA’s annual report. As I have already outlined, that annual report will be shared with the Secretary of State who will then lay it before Parliament. This is a standard arrangement for all arm’s-length and non-departmental public bodies, which ensures the appropriate accountability. Indeed, it is not usual for a Minister to make a Statement to both Houses during this process. If I may be so bold as to say so, if I turned up to make a Statement for every one of the arm’s-length bodies and organisations that are the responsibility of just my department, it would probably fill up half the time available in the House. I submit that it is not necessary or required for Parliament to do that. Of course, parliamentarians can and do pose questions to Ministers in both Houses on the content of various reports and documents that are produced by arm’s-length bodies; it is not necessary to put in primary legislation that we should make a specific Statement for this particular one. All the processes of accountability for Ministers are there in the usual way.
In response to point raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, about conflict of interest, regardless of whether we make regulations, ARIA will of course be required to have its own conflict of interest policy in line with the standard expectations across public bodies. The Civil Service Code and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies already set out the
overarching principles to ensure that conflicts of interest are appropriately handled. The code of conduct states that board members must comply with the rules of their body which, as a minimum, require public declarations of interests. Of course, it also requires them not to participate in discussions or decisions in which the member has a financial interest or is in danger of being biased.
Combined, these reporting and accountability measures provide Parliament with the opportunity to appropriately discuss and scrutinise ARIA’s use of public funds. I hope, therefore, that I have provided sufficient reassurance to noble Lords that it is not necessary to pursue these amendments.