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| Top official in foreign trips row | Top official in foreign trips row |
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| The head of a government spending watchdog has made 43 foreign visits over the last three years costing taxpayers £336,000, it has emerged. | The head of a government spending watchdog has made 43 foreign visits over the last three years costing taxpayers £336,000, it has emerged. |
| Details of visits by Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, were released after a Freedom of Information request by Private Eye magazine. | Details of visits by Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, were released after a Freedom of Information request by Private Eye magazine. |
| Sir John, who was accompanied by his wife on 22 of the visits, went to 11 countries last year and 15 in 2005. | Sir John, who was accompanied by his wife on 22 of the visits, went to 11 countries last year and 15 in 2005. |
| The NAO said his role involved raising "global standards of accountability". | The NAO said his role involved raising "global standards of accountability". |
| So far this year Sir John has made five trips, including a three-day stay in Warsaw, Poland. | |
| SOME OF SIR JOHN'S VISITS Mauritius, 20-24 April, 2004Ghana, 9-12 June, 2004United States, 4-8 January, 2005New Zealand, 28 January - 5 February, 2005India, 28 March to 1 April, 2005Brazil, 11-18 September, 2005South Africa, 15-20 November, 2005Bahamas, 18-24 October, 2006 | |
| Last year he visited 11 nations, including the Bahamas and United States while in 2005 he journeyed to 15 countries including South Africa, Brazil and New Zealand. | Last year he visited 11 nations, including the Bahamas and United States while in 2005 he journeyed to 15 countries including South Africa, Brazil and New Zealand. |
| A former Ministry of Defence official, Sir John became the NAO's Comptroller and Auditor General in 1988. | A former Ministry of Defence official, Sir John became the NAO's Comptroller and Auditor General in 1988. |
| Last March, he was appointed to advise ministers on issues relating to whether their private interests created a conflict with their ministerial duties under the ministerial code of conduct. | Last March, he was appointed to advise ministers on issues relating to whether their private interests created a conflict with their ministerial duties under the ministerial code of conduct. |
| He was also given the authority, if necessary, to conduct inquiries to establish the facts behind any allegation of a breach of the code. | He was also given the authority, if necessary, to conduct inquiries to establish the facts behind any allegation of a breach of the code. |
| An NAO spokesman said: "The travel undertaken by Sir John is always on official National Audit Office business and is part of our international work to raise global standards of accountability." | An NAO spokesman said: "The travel undertaken by Sir John is always on official National Audit Office business and is part of our international work to raise global standards of accountability." |
| He said Sir John had never extended the trips for personal purposes. He added that the NAO's work brought in £4 million a year for the Treasury. | He said Sir John had never extended the trips for personal purposes. He added that the NAO's work brought in £4 million a year for the Treasury. |