Majority of National Audit Office recommendations implemented, annual report shows

An absolute majority of recommendations made by the National Audit Office last year to government entities were implemented, the annual report shows.

The NAO made 142 recommendations, of which 72 were accepted and implemented, while another 62 were partly implemented. Only eight recommendations made by the NAO were not implemented, despite being accepted.

The information comes from the NAO annual report for 2019 that was tabled in parliament on Wednesday. The NAO is a constitutional body that reports to parliament.

The report shows that throughout 2019, the NAO completed 16 financial and compliance audits in government departments, and another 13 in government entities.

It also audited 67 local councils, apart from other performance audits and special investigations.

The various audits were published in 11 reports.

The NAO was allocated €3.5 million by government last year, which represents the amount that had been requested by office. The audit office ended the year with a surplus of €119,862.

The organisation had an average staff complement of 61.

The NAO report shows that in August last year, it submitted a business case to the Finance Ministry for the construction of a new annex adjacent to the present office in Floriana.

The annex would provide training and meeting facilities for all staff, and create office space for new recruits.

The architect appointed by the NAO has proposed a project of three levels at a cost of circa €2.2 million.

In this year’s budget, the office was allocated an extra amount of €200,000 to undertake the initial phase of the construction project, consisting of permitting, design, geological studies and surveying.