To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) name, (b) professional and academic qualifications and (c) relevant experience are of the Chief Accounting Officer of her Department. (76820)

My Department's Permanent Secretary, Peter Housden, is the Principal Accounting Officer.

The Accounting Officer is a role that the Permanent Secretary combines with his/her personal responsibility for the overall organisation, management and staffing of the Department and for Department-wide procedures in financial and other matters. The Accounting Officer is assisted in the discharge of these duties by suitably qualified experienced senior managers.

The Department is currently in the process of recruiting an experienced Director of Finance with a recognised accountancy qualification in line with Treasury Guidelines.

The Department's accounting teams are led by a qualified accountant.