Spending watchdog demands more answers

The Stormont hearing lasted five hours

A government spending watchdog has demanded more answers from a senior civil servant in its probe into a £24,000 credit card bill run up by a tourism official in New York.

The Public Accounts Committee at Stormont wants Department of Trade permanent secretary Bruce Robinson to answer new questions about levels of spending on food and wine.

We did not get the factual answers which we needed to report on issues of considerable public interest

Billy Bell
Public Accounts Committee

Last month, Mr Robinson appeared before the committee in a five-hour PAC session to explain the use of a company credit card by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's New York manager.

But on Thursday, in an unprecedented move, PAC chairman Billy Bell wrote to Mr Robinson accusing him of giving "inconsistent, evasive and misleading answers" at the hearing.

Mr Bell's letter set out 25 points he wanted clarified and attached an additional 42 questions.

Bruce Robinson: More answers demanded

He told Mr Robinson - who was appointed after concerns about credit card spending surfaced - his request was made because the committee was unhappy with the quality of his evidence.

"I am therefore giving you the opportunity to revisit your evidence and answer the questions attached...in direct and clear terms," Mr Bell said.

The senior civil servant was called before the committee following the Tourist Board expenses controversy which erupted around an Audit Office investigation.

'Straight answers'

The Audit Office report published in February showed bills from May 2000 to March 2001 totalling £24,300 - half of which were submitted without receipts.

In the letter, Mr Bell told Mr Robinson: "We have a right to a straight answer to a straight question.

"In this session, despite the length of time involved, we did not get the factual answers which we needed to report on issues of considerable public interest."

A spokeswoman for Mr Robinson confirmed he was now considering how to respond to the PAC correspondence.

Another member of the PAC, John Dallat of the SDLP, said the letter was unprecedented in the history of the civil service.