Tributes paid to Edward Leigh

MPs had some fond words in the Commons yesterday for a veteran member who has saved the taxpayers more than £4bn through his committee work. Skip related content

Edward Leigh, the Conservative MP for Gainsborough, is to stand down as chairman of the powerful public accounts committee at the end of this parliament.

Yesterday, during a debate on the PAC's reports in the 2008-09 session, he was praised by MPs from all sides of the House.

As the next PAC debate is scheduled for April, when MPs are likely to be in the middle of the general election campaign, this was a chance for members to express their thanks to Leigh, who has been chairman since 2001.

Leigh told the House the purpose of the committee is "to demand that taxpayers' money is well spent in the pursuit of better public services".

"According to information that I have received from the National Audit Office, over the eight years since I took over the chairmanship of the committee in 2001, the action taken by departments in response to our recommendations, including those in some of the reports that we are considering today, has saved the taxpayer, at a conservative estimate - that is 'conservative' with a small 'c' - more than £4 billion," he said.

Leigh told MPs it that "whatever else the election will bring - we do not know - it will call time on my chairmanship, and I will have to make way for whoever is fortunate enough to become the 46th chairman of the public accounts committee".

He said that "honourable members may have other things on their mind" come April, so "this will probably be the last such debate of this parliament".

Leigh told the House that the "special position" of the PAC, often regarded as the most powerful select committee, "stems from our focus".

"We focus on the actions of senior civil servants in implementing policy, rather than those of ministers in deciding it.

"We never interview ministers; we only ever interview civil servantsno doubt to the relief of many a minister."

Leigh said the PAC maintains its independence of thought and avoids "the murky old waters of partisanship".

"One thing that I am most proud of in the 391 - or whatever number it is - committee meetings I have chaired is that we have never had a single vote, not one," he said.

Colin Breed (LD, South East Cornwall), a member of the PAC, thanked Leigh for his work.

"We are deeply appreciative of the work that he has done in the eight years - he will be there a few more months yet - on the committee," he told the House.

"He has raised its profile considerably in the public mind, used the media properly, exposed things that should have had light shone upon them and given good advice."

Another PAC member, Austin Mitchell (Lab, Great Grimsby), mused that being a member of a select committee "is generally one of the few delights of a backbencher's somewhat dreary and pressured existence".

Mitchell said the PAC is "the oldest and certainly the best" committee in the House.

"It has been a sheer pleasure to be on the committee and see so much of the inner workings and possible failures of government, so I congratulate the chairman on his chairing of the committee and his summary today of our performance," he said.

Shadow Treasury minister Greg Hands spoke of the "great sadness and great pity that this may be the last debate of this nature" to take place under Leigh's chairmanship.

"I have seen in his office on the second floor of this building the photographs and engravings of his predecessors, and I am sure that his own portrait will be a worthy addition to that collection," he said.

"It may even end up having pride of place, given his work over the past eight years."

Exchequer secretary Sarah McCarthy-Fry is a former member of the PAC.

She said that Leigh has done "a brilliant job" during his eight years as chairman.

"During his tenure has enhanced its fearsome reputation as a robust and challenging scrutineer of public finances," she said.

"I am proud to have been a member of the committee under his chairmanship."