Geoffrey Cox has welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Auditor General that preliminary inquiries are being conducted into the management and control of public money by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and the Department of Fisheries at the Scottish Executive to see whether a full inquiry is needed.

The investigation comes just weeks after the Fisheries Protection Agency cancelled a contract for a protection vessel, just as Appledore shipyard emerged as the preferred bidder, on the grounds that the procurement process infringed EU regulations.

Geoffrey Cox said:

“I am very pleased that Audit Scotland is making inquiries. I strongly believe that the matter merits the Auditor’s attention. The Minister has admitted, unequivocally, that there has been a clear waste of public money in the cancellation of the recent tender for a Minna vessel, over nine months of the agency’s and civil servant’s time has been wasted and the Department has been left open to compensation claims reaching into hundreds of thousands of pounds.”

He also raised questions about the handling of previous contracts adding:

“The Ministry itself has acknowledged that the termination of the process raises serious questions over whether value for money was achieved in previous contracts. It is a compelling case and it is most certainly in the public interest that there should be a thorough investigation. I very much hope that the Auditor finds reason to launch a full inquiry.”

Copy of Geoffrey Cox's letter to the Auditor below

Mr G Greenhill
Senior Manager
Central Government- Performance Audit Group
Audit Scotland

Thursday, 20 July 2006

Dear Mr Greenhill,

Thank you for your letter.

I am very pleased that the auditors are looking into the waste of public money at the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency.

I strongly believe that it merits the Auditor’s attention. The Minister has admitted, unequivocally, that there has been a clear waste of public money in the cancellation of the recent tender for a Minna vessel. Over nine months of the agency’s and civil service time has been wasted and the Department has been left open to compensation claims reaching into hundreds of thousands of pounds. Moreover, the Ministry itself has acknowledged that the termination of the process raises serious questions over pervious tender competitions and whether value for money was achieved in those contracts.

In these circumstances, it would seem plain that there are strong grounds to believe that public money has not been used efficiently. Indeed, I believe that it presents a compelling case, and it is most certainly in the public interest that there should be a thorough investigation.

 I await the results of the preliminary enquiries with great interest.
Yours sincerely,

Geoffrey Cox, Q.C., M.P.

20th July 2006