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Arms Length Bodies: Finance

Asked by James McMurdockIndependentTreasuryTabled Answered 7 March 2025UIN 34573

The question

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) arms-length bodies and (b) Non-Governmental departments have not published full financial accounts in the last five years.

Answered by Darren Jones

For arms-length bodies, inclusive of non-departmental public bodies the legal requirement to produce financial accounts is normally set out in their founding legislation.

The Treasury monitors all Departmental accounts to ensure they are laid in a timely manner. All 2023-24 Departmental accounts have been laid in Parliament. There are no Departments which have not published audited financial accounts in the last five years.

The Treasury also lay the accounts of 21 non-ministerial departments and 8 pension schemes; all 2023-24 accounts have been laid in Parliament. There are no non-ministerial departments or pension schemes where laying is done by The Treasury which have not published audited financial accounts in the last five years.

Departments have responsibility for monitoring the publishing of financial accounts for bodies in their departmental group, including for arms-length bodies.

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