Why are Quangos hoarding cash?
08 November 2010
TUV Leader Jim Allister has called on the DCAL Minister, Nelson McCausland, to explaim claims in the weekend press that two of the Quangos under his control are hoarding up to £20m of unspent cash, while frontline services come under immense expenditure pressures.
The Home Affairs correspondent of the Daily Mail revealed figures on Saturday which show Sports NI and The Arts Council of NI are each hoarding over £9m of lottery cash.
Commenting, Jim Allister said, "Not so long ago the Public Accounts Committee commented adversely on public bodies running huge balances of unspent cash, instead of making such money available for other services. DFP agreed. Yet, here in these difficult times we have figures released which suggest that between them these two DCAL arms-length bodies are sitting on almost £20m which I am sure could be put to better use than merely swelling their bank accounts.
"I am, therefore, calling on the DCAL Minister to investigate and explain, because what we see here is not good fiscal management or the type of control you'd expect in a tight public expenditure budget. If these bodies can afford to hoard such cash, then it suggests to me they need less from the public purse. If they have more lottery funds than they are spending, then they need less taxpayers money."
