asked the Minister for Defence if he is conducting an audit of paperwork requirements imposed by his Department, or by agencies under his aegis, on business; if so, when the audit commenced; the named officer, if any, in charge of the audit; if any report thereon has yet been presented to the Minister for Industry and Commerce; if so, the contents thereof; if any practices or regulations have yet been altered as a result of the audit; if so, the details thereof; if he has prepared any report on the compliance costs to industry of legislation being prepared by his Department; the way in which these reports compare in content, scope or purpose with reports on this subject already required by decisions of the previous Government; and if he will outline the subjects being covered by the audit now being conducted in his Department.

(Limerick West): There are no paperwork requirements imposed by my Department on business. My Department are required, however, to comply with the normal statutory requirements and with directives from the Government contracts committee and the European Community.

An Assistant Principal Officer of the contracts branch of my Department has been nominated to liaise with the Department of Industry and Commerce in relation to the review programme being undertaken by the Government.