John Bourn
Encyclopedia
Sir John Bourn, then an officer of the British House of Commons
, was holder of the office of Comptroller and Auditor General
(C&AG) and, as such, head of the National Audit Office
. He took up his post in 1988 after a series of senior appointments in the Ministry of Defence
and the Northern Ireland Office
. In May 1998 he was awarded an Honorary Degree from the Open University as Doctor of the University. He was also the first Auditor General for Wales
until Jeremy Colman
took over this role on 1 April 2005.
On October 25, 2007, his office announced that he would step down early in 2008 after 20 years in the job to avoid any conflicts of interest with other posts he holds.
The decision followed criticism from opposition parties and the media over Bourn's high spending, such as a recent overseas trip that ran up taxpayer costs of more than £16,000. His expenses and conducts have frequently been highlighted in the satirical magazine Private Eye
. In September 2008 the magazine published a special report, 'The Bourn Complicity', alleging that under his leadership numerous government expenditure failings escaped scrutiny while Bourn (frequently accompanied by his wife) went on unnecessary and extravagant foreign trips, and accepted lavish hospitality from contractors.
Bourn said in a statement he would retire on January 31, 2008 in order to avoid any conflict with his post as chairman of the Professional Oversight Board
, a body that oversees professional accountancy bodies.
Bourn has been a visiting professor at the London School of Economics
since 1983, and is also a governor of the School. In March 2006 he was appointed "independent advisor on ministerial interests" by Tony Blair
, to advise ministers on potential clashes between their public duties and private affairs, and to investigate any claims that the rules have been broken. However this appointment was revoked following the controversy around the C&AG's travel expenditure.
carries out a small amount of work in the field of international audits, worth about £4m in revenue per year, and which according to Private Eye make a net loss. Bourn came under criticism for the extent and extravagance of his overseas travel arising from this work. Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act
show that, in the three years to March 2007, Bourn made 43 overseas visits; Private Eye claimed this was far more than the revenue generated would justify, and that in many cases more junior staff should have gone instead. On 22 of these trips, Bourn was accompanied by his wife Ardita. He claimed £336,000 in travel expenses in addition to his £164,430 salary.
Records show that he stayed almost exclusively in five star
hotels, such as the Hotel Sacher
in Vienna
, the Astoria
in St Petersburg, the Gresham Palace
hotel in Budapest
and the Balmoral Hotel
in Edinburgh
. Bourn's flights were exclusively first class
on long haul and business class
on shorter visits. He also travelled to Croatia
, Turkey
, Jordan
and Bulgaria
for discussions or the launch of twinning projects involving co-operation between the NAO and other state audit offices. The records show that the couple enjoyed a week-long stay in the Bahamas in 2006 to attend the Caribbean Organisation of State Audit Offices Congress.
A spokesman for Bourn claimed that he normally stayed at hotels which were "recommended by the host organisation", however an investigation by The Daily Telegraph
suggested that on several of the most expensive trips, no such recommendations were made. Bourn's expenses emerged after a freedom of information
request by Private Eye
magazine, which said that his expenses were far in excess of what a senior civil servant would have been permitted.
in a chauffeur
driven vehicle at the taxpayers' expense. The financial cost of this is unknown due to it being funded directly from the consolidated fund and therefore not being included within the NAO's accounts.
Additionally, the personal benefit to his wife of NAO-funded travel had not been fully accounted for. When Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
investigated these as taxable benefits, Bourn was found liable for 6 years of unpaid taxes - but the outstanding sum of about £100,000 (including a fine) was settled by the NAO out of taxpayers' money.
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, was holder of the office of Comptroller and Auditor General
Comptroller and Auditor General
Comptroller and auditor-general is the abbreviated title of a government official in a number of jurisdictions, including the UK, the Republic of Ireland, India, and China....
(C&AG) and, as such, head of the National Audit Office
National Audit Office (United Kingdom)
The National Audit Office is an independent Parliamentary body in the United Kingdom which is responsible for auditing central government departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies...
. He took up his post in 1988 after a series of senior appointments in the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and the Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
. In May 1998 he was awarded an Honorary Degree from the Open University as Doctor of the University. He was also the first Auditor General for Wales
Auditor General for Wales
The Auditor General for Wales is the public official in charge of the Wales Audit Office, the body responsible for auditing the Welsh Assembly Government, its public bodies, National Health Service bodies and local government in Wales...
until Jeremy Colman
Jeremy Colman
Jeremy Colman was the Auditor General for Wales.He was born in London in April 1948 and educated at The John Lyon School, Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he read Mathematics, and Imperial College, London....
took over this role on 1 April 2005.
On October 25, 2007, his office announced that he would step down early in 2008 after 20 years in the job to avoid any conflicts of interest with other posts he holds.
The decision followed criticism from opposition parties and the media over Bourn's high spending, such as a recent overseas trip that ran up taxpayer costs of more than £16,000. His expenses and conducts have frequently been highlighted in the satirical magazine Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
. In September 2008 the magazine published a special report, 'The Bourn Complicity', alleging that under his leadership numerous government expenditure failings escaped scrutiny while Bourn (frequently accompanied by his wife) went on unnecessary and extravagant foreign trips, and accepted lavish hospitality from contractors.
Bourn said in a statement he would retire on January 31, 2008 in order to avoid any conflict with his post as chairman of the Professional Oversight Board
Professional Oversight Board
The Professional Oversight Board is a UK regulatory body specializing in the accounting, auditing and actuarial professions. It is a part of the Financial Reporting Council , the independent regulator of corporate governance and reporting in the UK.-Functions:The Board's state d purpose is to...
, a body that oversees professional accountancy bodies.
Bourn has been a visiting professor at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
since 1983, and is also a governor of the School. In March 2006 he was appointed "independent advisor on ministerial interests" by Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, to advise ministers on potential clashes between their public duties and private affairs, and to investigate any claims that the rules have been broken. However this appointment was revoked following the controversy around the C&AG's travel expenditure.
Foreign Travel
The National Audit OfficeNational Audit Office (United Kingdom)
The National Audit Office is an independent Parliamentary body in the United Kingdom which is responsible for auditing central government departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies...
carries out a small amount of work in the field of international audits, worth about £4m in revenue per year, and which according to Private Eye make a net loss. Bourn came under criticism for the extent and extravagance of his overseas travel arising from this work. Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act
Freedom of Information Act 2000
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that creates a public "right of access" to information held by public authorities. It is the implementation of freedom of information legislation in the United Kingdom on a national level...
show that, in the three years to March 2007, Bourn made 43 overseas visits; Private Eye claimed this was far more than the revenue generated would justify, and that in many cases more junior staff should have gone instead. On 22 of these trips, Bourn was accompanied by his wife Ardita. He claimed £336,000 in travel expenses in addition to his £164,430 salary.
Records show that he stayed almost exclusively in five star
Star (classification)
Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes. They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies, TV shows, restaurants, and hotels. For example, one to five stars is commonly employed to categorize hotels.-Restaurant ratings:...
hotels, such as the Hotel Sacher
Hotel Sacher
The Hotel Sacher is a five-star hotel in the Innenstadt district of Vienna, Austria, next to the Staatsoper. It is famous for the specialty of the house, the Sachertorte, a chocolate cake with apricot filling. There is also an art gallery in the hotel with works from the 19th century...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, the Astoria
Hotel Astoria
Hotel Astoria is a five-star hotel in Saint Petersburg, Russia opened in 1912. It has 213 bedrooms, including 52 suites.It is located on Saint Isaac's Square, next to Saint Isaac's Cathedral and across from the historic Imperial German Embassy...
in St Petersburg, the Gresham Palace
Gresham Palace
Gresham Palace or Gresham-palota, located in Budapest, Hungary, is an example of Art Nouveau architecture in Central Europe. Built during the early 1900s, it is now owned by an Irish company, Quinlan Private, and managed by Four Seasons Hotels....
hotel in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and the Balmoral Hotel
Balmoral Hotel
The Balmoral is a luxury five-star hotel and landmark in Edinburgh, Scotland, known as the North British Hotel until the late 1980s. It is located in the heart of the city at the east end of Princes Street, the main shopping street beneath the Edinburgh Castle rock, and the southern edge of the New...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. Bourn's flights were exclusively first class
First class travel
First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
on long haul and business class
Business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
on shorter visits. He also travelled to Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
for discussions or the launch of twinning projects involving co-operation between the NAO and other state audit offices. The records show that the couple enjoyed a week-long stay in the Bahamas in 2006 to attend the Caribbean Organisation of State Audit Offices Congress.
A spokesman for Bourn claimed that he normally stayed at hotels which were "recommended by the host organisation", however an investigation by The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
suggested that on several of the most expensive trips, no such recommendations were made. Bourn's expenses emerged after a freedom of information
Freedom of information
Freedom of information refers to the protection of the right to freedom of expression with regards to the Internet and information technology . Freedom of information may also concern censorship in an information technology context, i.e...
request by Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
magazine, which said that his expenses were far in excess of what a senior civil servant would have been permitted.
Chauffeur
It emerged that Bourn rode to and from his office in Victoria, LondonVictoria, London
Victoria is a commercial and residential area of inner city London, lying wholly within the City of Westminster, and named after Queen Victoria....
in a chauffeur
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
driven vehicle at the taxpayers' expense. The financial cost of this is unknown due to it being funded directly from the consolidated fund and therefore not being included within the NAO's accounts.
Additionally, the personal benefit to his wife of NAO-funded travel had not been fully accounted for. When Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government responsible for the collection of taxes and the payment of some forms of state support....
investigated these as taxable benefits, Bourn was found liable for 6 years of unpaid taxes - but the outstanding sum of about £100,000 (including a fine) was settled by the NAO out of taxpayers' money.
See also
- National Audit OfficeNational Audit Office (United Kingdom)The National Audit Office is an independent Parliamentary body in the United Kingdom which is responsible for auditing central government departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies...
- Wales Audit OfficeWales Audit OfficeThe Wales Audit Office is an independent public body which was established by the National Assembly for Wales on 1 April 2005. It has overall responsibility for auditing on behalf of the Auditor General for Wales, across all sectors of government in Wales, except those reserved to the UK...