Into the West (Tyrone and Fermanagh) Ltd
Into the West (Tyrone and Fermanagh) Ltd

Author: Northern Ireland

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2006-03-02

Total Pages: 48

ISBN-13: 9780102939705

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The company Into the West (ITW) was established in 1997 as a partnership between the former Local Enterprise Development Unit and five district councils in Northern Ireland to promote local economic development in the Tyrone and Fermanagh area. Following a joint investigation by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Local Government Auditor into allegations of financial impropriety and poor management controls involving considerable sums of public money, ITW's activities were suspended from March 2002, and the company entered voluntary liquidation in June 2004. This report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office focuses on ITW's use of overseas agents (based in Australia, New Zealand and North America) to help promote joint business ventures between local firms and overseas companies. It draws a number of conclusions in relation to: the standard of documentation, the appointment of agents and the contractual arrangements involved, management and control procedures, payments to agents and performance, and the poor planning of a proposed visit to Australia; and based on these findings sets out a number of good practice recommendations for the use of agents by government departments and other public bodies in the future.

Outpatients
Outpatients

Author: Northern Ireland Audit Office

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2007-04-19

Total Pages: 40

ISBN-13: 9780102948134

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In 2005-06 some £259 million was spent on outpatient services in Northern Ireland. A perennial cause of inefficiency in the provision of these services has been patients' failure to attend appointments and the cancellation of clinics by Trusts. In September 2006 almost 15,000 consultant-led clinic sessions were cancelled and there were 200,000 cases of patients not attending. A survey found that some 10 per cent of outpatients are "not seen" through cancellation or non-attendance, an opportunity cost of £11.6 million. Health service managers and clinicians need to monitor non-attendance/cancellation rates closely, in order to clarify the factors influencing them, and to allow planning of effective strategies aimed at minimising any loss of time and resources. The report also notes that outpatient services run by healthcare professionals other than consultants are not covered in the weekly statistical management information currently collected: if these are included outpatient activity levels are twice that officially reported. Changes to the way in which patients and general practitioners access outpatient services are being implemented and they should reduce waiting times and have an impact on cancelled clinics and missed appointments.

The upgrade of the Belfast to Bangor railway line
The upgrade of the Belfast to Bangor railway line

Author: Northern Ireland. Audit Office

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2007-03-22

Total Pages: 50

ISBN-13: 9780102948035

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Since 2000-01, the Department for Regional Development has provided £155 million for capital investment in the rail network in Northern Ireland. In January 2001, the Department approved a project costing £14.7 million to upgrade the Belfast to Bangor railway line, one of the busiest railway lines in Northern Ireland carrying nearly 2 million passengers a year. However, this NIAO report finds that the project experienced a number of difficulties, resulting in a very significant overspend and late delivery, with a final cost of almost £34 million, and completion in September 2002 delayed by nine months later than planned. The problems were the result of failures in several key areas, and in addition to the increased cost of the project, there is uncertainty as to whether it has delivered all of its intended benefits. The original specification of a 90 mph speed limit was reduced to 70 mph and other works on bridges and sea defences were removed from the contract to reduce costs. The report makes a number of recommendations to improve performance in relation to: economic appraisal; construction procurement and project management; records management; ex-gratia payments to staff; corporate governance; and departmental control of capital projects.

Good governance
Good governance

Author: Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland Audit Office

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2007-05-04

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 9780102948165

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Strengthening governance in the public sector is seen as a means of improving the capability of public bodies to deliver high quality services. The need to promote and encourage good corporate governance within departments and arms length bodies (ALBs) in Northern Ireland has been underscored by several high profile cases of weaknesses which became the subject of recent NIAO/Public Accounts Committee reports: the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, education and library boards, and LEDU. This report, based on a review of six departments and ten of their ALBs, examines three main areas: (1) structural relationships; (2) management of sponsorship risks; (3) accountability. Structures within departments for dealing with sponsored bodies should be clearly defined with clear channels of management, accountability and communication. A coherent strategic management approach should promote consistency of business objectives. Departments and ALBs should co-operate in setting objectives, agreeing targets. Departments should ensure that ALBs have in place necessary financial and management controls and procedures. On risk, departments should have processes in place for the identification and management of risks associated with sponsorship, and these should be regularly reviewed. Internal audit can provide assurance on risk management. To safeguard accountability, effective liaison, reporting and monitoring arrangements are required. ALB boards, and departmental and ALB audit committees have crucial roles in accountability.

Audit of assumptions for budget 2007
Audit of assumptions for budget 2007

Author: Great Britain: National Audit Office

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2007-03-21

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 9780102944686

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This report by the National Audit Office, made under sections 156 and 157 of the Finance Act 1998, examines the conventions and assumptions underlying the Treasury's fiscal projections within the 2007 Budget (HCP 342, session 2006-07; ISBN 9780102944556).

Governance Issues in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment's Former Local Enterprise Development Unit in Relation to the Establishment and Oversight of the Emerging Business Trust Loan and Venture Funds
Governance Issues in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment's Former Local Enterprise Development Unit in Relation to the Establishment and Oversight of the Emerging Business Trust Loan and Venture Funds

Author: Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland Audit Office

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2006-02-09

Total Pages: 64

ISBN-13: 0102939659

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This report examines major weaknesses in the part played by the former Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU) in the establishment and oversight of the Emerging Business Trust (EBT). The ETB was created in 1996 with funds of £3 million provided by the International Fund for Ireland and £0.75 million by LEDU, mainly administering a loan fund. In 2000 EBT also established a venture fund, with a total funding of £0.6 million. EBT voluntarily ceased to carry on business in April 2005, and a liquidator was appointed to wind up the affairs of both the loan and venture funds. Invest Northern Ireland (a development agency which assumed the responsibilities of LEDU in 2002) carried out an investigation, which identified a long list of failings: conflicts of interest, especially involving a LEDU board member who was also a partner in MTF Chartered Accountants who were the managing agents of both funds; LEDU's failure to follow its own procedures; normal public sector rules on competitive tendering were not followed; a high level of bad debt (£1.1 million was written off); insufficient monitoring by LEDU. NIAO finds that many of these failings show non-observance of the Public Accounts Committee's recommendations in its report "The proper conduct of public business" (HC 154, 8th report session 1993-94). The poor standards of administration fell far below the normal standards operating elsewhere in the Northern Ireland public sector. Invest Northern Ireland and the Department have undertaken a number of actions and current corporate governance arrangements are very different. NIAO believes there are lessons of relevance here to the wider public sector.

Journal
Journal

Author: Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers

Publisher:

Published: 1910

Total Pages: 774

ISBN-13:

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Introducing Global Englishes
Introducing Global Englishes

Author: Nico Hess

Publisher: Scientific e-Resources

Published: 2019-08-04

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 1839472995

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It is estimated that "e;the number of native English speakers is 300 million to 450 million."e; More than one billion people are believed to speak some form of English. Although the numbers vary, it is widely accepted that hundreds of millions of people around the world speak English, whether as a native, second or a foreign language. English, in some form, has become the native or unofficial language of a majority of the countries around the world today. "e;In 20 to 30 countries around the world, English is merging with native languages to create hybrid Englishes."e; This comprehensive study of Introducing Global Englishes indented to be useful and popular among students because of the simplicity and directness of explanations of the various terms and concepts, its wealth of illustrative examples enables the reader to assimilate the content without being intimidated by its range and scope. Written in a very careful manner keeping in view of the course requirements it is aimed at familiarising students with the vibrant currents of thought that have enriched the literary enterprise of our time.