Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the audit process for grants made in each of the last five years from her Department to (a) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and (b) Natural England. [37013]

Richard Benyon MP; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State: The Secretary of State has assessed that the audit regime in place for the last five years covering DEFRA and its arm's length bodies complies with professional standards. This audit regime has included testing the controls in place in relation to grant payments made to such bodies as Natural England and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The system is being reviewed to ensure that details of all payments to outside bodies can be easily analysed.