The Hon. Sunil Handunnetti - Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, the Motion brought by Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri is important. An Audit Report is beyond a mere audit query; after queries and the institution’s non-acceptance of matters, the Audit Report is tabled and then discussed at COPE and COPA. Standing Order 120 clearly sets out the follow-up.

¶ 02 I am pleased to say I contributed in 2022, as COPE Chair, to introduce Standing Order 120(4), which provides that once Parliament has taken up a COPE Report, it must be sent to the Minister of Finance and the subject Ministers who, after making observations, must report back to Parliament within eight weeks. If the Minister says recommendations cannot be fully implemented, he can be summoned again to COPE.

¶ 03 Standing Order 120(4) further states the Minister must give written reasons for alternative measures for proper use of public funds; COPE may invite the Minister in person; and answers to questions raised must be provided within eight weeks.

¶ 04 It also provides that, if Parliament so decides, the Report may be referred to the Attorney General for observations and necessary action. Thus, it starts with an audit query and ends with the law — with the Attorney General. After COPE has discussed the Auditor General’s Report and Parliament has taken it up, within eight weeks the subject Minister must submit a report. If unsatisfactory, he can be recalled. Matters arising can be referred to the AG for legal action.

¶ 05 Standing Order 120(5)(b) allows COPE or any subcommittee to sit at any relevant institution. Standing Order 120(6) empowers COPE or its subcommittees to summon persons, question them, call for documents and examine records and property.

¶ 06 Accordingly, any person — public, private or otherwise connected — can be summoned before COPE on an Auditor General’s matter. As an example, Hon. Harsha de Silva would recall we called officers of the AG’s Department as observers to verify legality of documents. What we could not then achieve was to make the AG’s Department officer a reporting party to the court directly from our inquiry. If that were possible, many issues would be resolved.

¶ 07 Recently, COPE summoned the National Youth Services Council and the National Gem and Jewellery Authority. After tabling the Report, within eight weeks the subject Minister can be required to clarify matters and then the matter can go straight to the AG. Alternatively, COPE can direct that a specific matter in the Audit Report be taken directly to court. Even before COPE, a Minister can refer a matter to court after discussing the Auditor General’s Report at the Ministry.

¶ 08 We must move beyond reporting to commencing legal proceedings. Thank you.