Good news for armchair auditors (and therefore taxpayers.) The Department for Communities and Local Government now publishes all items of spending over £250. The previous threshold was £500 which the DCLG has published since August 2010.
The lower threshold means that items such as travel expenses, publications, office supplies and mobile phone bills are more likely to come on the radar. Labour Ministers and their officials wined and dined at some of the finest restaurants in the country using the Government Procurement Card at taxpayers’ expense, including Boisdales, Somerset House, the National Gallery, the Wolseley and the Cinnamon Club and Sky City casino in New Zealand.
The Audit Commission’s wining and dining included taking out the National Audit Office for the finest meals and drinks, with the national spending watchdog reciprocating with fining dining for the Audit Commission. This spending watchdogs mutual dining included L’Escargot, Qurinale, Ebury Wine Bar, Wiltons and the Footstool.
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