NAO FIELDWORK

At the National Audit Office, auditors are examining how well the quangos working for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs understand and manage their costs. Defra's delivery bodies are responsible for a wide range of frontline services including tackling animal disease and preventing floods. The quangos being looked at are: the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency; the Environment Agency; the Food & Environment Research Agency; and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science.

CUTTING EDGE

A report due out in June will review how well public bodies in Scotland are planning for and managing budget reductions. The report, being prepared for the Scottish auditor general and Accounts Commission, will not make judgements on the quality of these decisions but function as an interim report. Subsequent reports will look at specific areas and plans.

BIOSCIENCE BUST

Northern Irish auditors are determining the reasons for the failure of the Bioscience and Technology Institute. A notfor-profit company established in 1998, its objective was to build a specialist unit at Belfast City Hospital to provide biotechnology incubator facilities. …