The House of Assembly acknowledges receipt of the Members and Ministers Expenditures report by the Office of the Auditor General and thanks the Auditor General and her team for their work on this audit.
The House of Assembly accepts the recommendations of the Auditor General as they pertain to policies, procedures and legislation relating to Members’ expenditures. The House of Assembly Service is a team of dedicated public servants who are committed to excellence in the delivery of both parliamentary and administrative support to Members of the House of Assembly on behalf of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The House of Assembly has a robust audit and accountability framework that has been in place since 2007 and is unique among legislative assemblies across the country. In accordance with the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act, there are several accountability measures in place to assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of internal controls as well as compliance with legislation and policy.
On an annual basis, an external consultant is engaged to support the Clerk of the House of Assembly in a management certification process whereby internal controls are assessed for their effectiveness. An annual financial audit is conducted of the accounts of the House of Assembly and a compliance audit is required at least once in each general assembly. Finally, the House of Assembly is subject to annual internal audits performed by the Office of the Comptroller General.
The House of Assembly is committed to transparency and accountability, and will continue to work with the Office of the Auditor General, the Comptroller General and external experts in continuous improvement of its services.
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“As Speaker of the House of Assembly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Auditor General and her staff for their diligent attention to the matters reviewed in this audit. The Office of the Auditor General provides an invaluable service to the legislature as well as to all residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. We look forward to working with the Office of the Auditor General on the recommendations in her report and in other matters as they pertain to the House of Assembly.”
Honourable Derek Bennett
Speaker of the House of Assembly
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