Session 2013 - 14
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 7 November 2013                  

75

 

Local Audit and Accountability Bill-[Lords], continued

 
 

“(5A)  

The consent or agreement of a parish meeting under subsection (5)

 

must be given by the parish meeting itself (and not by its chairman

 

on behalf of the parish meeting).’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

21

 

Schedule  5,  page  44,  line  31,  leave out second ‘or’ and insert ‘and’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

22

 

Schedule  5,  page  44,  line  40,  leave out ‘in accordance with regulations under’ and

 

insert ‘by virtue of’.

 

Andy Sawford

 

Roberta Blackman-Woods

 

125

 

Schedule  5,  page  45,  line  7,  leave out paragraph (c)

 

Andy Sawford

 

Roberta Blackman-Woods

 

124

 

Schedule  5,  page  46,  line  3,  at end insert—

 

‘(5A)    

The requirements under section (5) must in particular take full account of the need

 

to understand the wider scope of public audit covering the audit of financial

 

statements, regulatory, propriety and value for money.’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

23

 

Schedule  5,  page  46,  leave out lines 9 to 19 and insert—

 

‘(7)    

A person holds an appropriate qualification for the purposes of this Chapter if,

 

immediately before the relevant time, the person was qualified for appointment

 

as an auditor under section 3 of the Audit Commission Act 1998 by virtue of the

 

person’s membership of a body listed in subsection (7) of that section.

 

(7A)    

A person holds an appropriate qualification for the purposes of this Chapter if—

 

(a)    

before the relevant time, the person began a course of study or practical

 

training leading to a professional qualification in accountancy offered by

 

a body listed in section 3(7) of the Audit Commission Act 1998,

 

(b)    

the person would have been qualified for appointment as an auditor under

 

section 3 of that Act by virtue of subsection (5)(b) of that section if that

 

qualification had been obtained before that time, and

 

(c)    

he person obtained that qualification within the period of 6 years

 

beginning with that time.’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

24

 

Schedule  5,  page  46,  line  20,  leave out ‘subsection (7)’ and insert ‘subsections (7)

 

and (7A)’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

25

 

Schedule  5,  page  49,  line  1,  at end insert—

 

‘(7)    

A person appointed under this section to conduct a second audit of the accounts

 

of a parish meeting, or to review and report on the first audit of such accounts,


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 7 November 2013                  

76

 

Local Audit and Accountability Bill-[Lords], continued

 
 

must be appointed by the parish meeting itself (and not by its chairman on behalf

 

of the parish meeting).”’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

26

 

Schedule  5,  page  51,  line  36,  leave out ‘7(1)’ and insert ‘4(1)(b)’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

27

 

Schedule  5,  page  51,  line  40,  at end insert—

 

‘parish meeting“

section 41(1) of the Local Audit

 
  

and Accountability Act 2013”;’.

 
 

Brandon Lewis

 

28

 

Schedule  5,  page  55,  line  38,  at end insert ‘—(a)’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

29

 

Schedule  5,  page  55,  line  40,  at end insert ‘, and

 

(b)    

in paragraph 10(6) (requirement for auditor of body established by order

 

to be eligible for appointment as statutory auditor), for “a statutory

 

auditor” substitute “a local auditor, or a statutory auditor in accordance

 

with this Part of this Act as it has effect apart from its application by

 

virtue of Schedule 5 to the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2013.”’.

 


 

Andy Sawford

 

Roberta Blackman-Woods

 

127

 

Clause  19,  page  13,  line  12,  at end insert ‘, including through joint arrangements

 

with other relevant bodies.’.

 

Andy Sawford

 

Roberta Blackman-Woods

 

126

 

Clause  19,  page  13,  line  36,  at end insert—

 

‘(7)    

A person providing commercial or consultancy services to an authority may not

 

audit those services.

 

(8)    

The audit of any commercial or consultancy services provided by a person

 

appointed as a local auditor must be subcontracted to a different local auditor.’.

 



 
 

Public Bill Committee: 7 November 2013                  

77

 

Local Audit and Accountability Bill-[Lords], continued

 
 

Andy Sawford

 

Roberta Blackman-Woods

 

128

 

Clause  20,  page  13,  line  45,  at end insert ‘, including through joint arrangements

 

with other relevant bodies.’.

 

Andy Sawford

 

Roberta Blackman-Woods

 

137

 

Clause  20,  page  14,  line  1,  leave out paragraphs (d) and (e).

 

Brandon Lewis

 

30

 

Clause  20,  page  14,  line  18,  leave out from ‘must’ to end of line 23 and insert—

 

‘(a)    

enter on the accounts a certificate that the auditor has completed the audit

 

in accordance with this Act, and

 

(b)    

make a report in accordance with subsection (5).

 

(5)    

A report under subsection (4)(b)—

 

(a)    

must contain the auditor’s opinion on the accounts, including on the

 

matters in subsection (1) or, as the case may be, subsection (3), but

 

(b)    

must not contain the auditor’s opinion on the matter in subsection (1)(c)

 

or (3)(c) if the auditor is satisfied as to that matter.’.

 


 

Brandon Lewis

 

31

 

Clause  21,  page  15,  line  28,  at end insert—

 

‘(8A)    

A local auditor of the accounts of a parish meeting may only exercise the function

 

in subsection (7), so far as it applies to a person who is or was a member or officer

 

of a relevant authority, in relation to a person who is or was the chairman of the

 

parish meeting or the proper officer of the district council within whose area the

 

parish lies.’.

 


 

Brandon Lewis

 

32

 

Clause  22,  page  16,  line  14,  at end insert—

 

‘(4A)    

Subsection (3) does not apply in relation to a parish meeting unless the offence is

 

alleged to have been committed by the chairman of the parish meeting or the

 

proper officer of the district council within whose area the parish lies.’.

 


 

Brandon Lewis

 

33

 

Schedule  7,  page  60,  line  38,  after ‘is’ insert ‘—

 

(i)    

a functional body,


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 7 November 2013                  

78

 

Local Audit and Accountability Bill-[Lords], continued

 
 

(ii)    

an entity connected with a functional body, or

 

(iii)    

’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

34

 

Schedule  7,  page  61,  line  14,  leave out sub-paragraph (2).

 

Brandon Lewis

 

35

 

Schedule  7,  page  61,  line  22,  after ‘is’ insert ‘—

 

(i)    

a functional body,

 

(ii)    

an entity connected with a functional body, or

 

(iii)    

’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

36

 

Schedule  7,  page  62,  line  4,  at end insert—

 

  ‘(3A)  

Sub-paragraph (3)(a) does not apply in relation to a parish meeting.’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

37

 

Schedule  7,  page  62,  line  35,  leave out sub-paragraph (8).

 

Brandon Lewis

 

38

 

Schedule  7,  page  63,  line  2,  leave out from ‘entity’ to end of line 4 and insert ‘,

 

subject to sub-paragraph (2A).’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

39

 

Schedule  7,  page  63,  line  4,  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

This paragraph applies to the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime where a

 

local auditor has made a report or recommendation relating to the Commissioner

 

of Police of the Metropolis regardless of whether the Office is a connected entity

 

or was such an entity at the time to which the report or recommendation relates.’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

40

 

Schedule  7,  page  63,  line  10,  leave out from ‘authority’ to end of line 11.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

41

 

Schedule  7,  page  64,  line  10,  leave out sub-paragraph (2) and insert—

 

‘(2)    

This paragraph does not apply where a local auditor has made a report or

 

recommendation relating to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis

 

regardless of whether the Commissioner is connected with the Authority or was

 

so connected at the time to which the report or recommendation relates.’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 7 November 2013                  

79

 

Local Audit and Accountability Bill-[Lords], continued

 
 

Brandon Lewis

 

42

 

Schedule  7,  page  65,  line  3,  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

The functions of a parish meeting under paragraph 5 are to be exercised by the

 

parish meeting itself (and not by its chairman on behalf of the parish meeting).’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

43

 

Schedule  7,  page  65,  line  29,  at end insert—

 

‘(5A)    

Sub-paragraph (5) does not apply in relation to a parish meeting.’.

 


 

Brandon Lewis

 

44

 

Clause  27,  page  19,  line  6,  leave out from ‘may’ to end of line 7.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

45

 

Clause  27,  page  19,  line  8,  after ‘(a)’ insert ‘within the period of 6 weeks beginning

 

with the day after that on which the person is notified of the decision,’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

46

 

Clause  27,  page  19,  line  9,  after ‘(b)’ insert ‘within the period of 21 days beginning

 

with the day after that on which the person receives those written reasons,’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

47

 

Clause  27,  page  19,  line  16,  at end insert—

 

‘(5A)    

Subsection (5B) applies if a local auditor of the accounts of a relevant authority

 

incurs costs in determining whether to make an application under this section in

 

relation to the authority, but the application is not in fact made.

 

(5B)    

The local auditor may recover the reasonable costs so incurred from the relevant

 

authority.’.

 


 

Andy Sawford

 

Roberta Blackman-Woods

 

129

 

Schedule  8,  page  67,  line  20,  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

Where two or more auditors are appointed in relation to the accounts of a relevant

 

authority, other than a health service body, the power to issue an advisory notice

 

may be exercised by the auditors acting jointly, or by such one of them as they

 

may determine.’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 7 November 2013                  

80

 

Local Audit and Accountability Bill-[Lords], continued

 
 

Brandon Lewis

 

48

 

Schedule  8,  page  68,  line  31,  at end insert—

 

‘(8)    

In this Schedule “the relevant authority concerned”, in relation to an advisory

 

notice, means the relevant authority to which, or to any officer of which, the

 

notice is addressed.’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

49

 

Schedule  8,  page  69,  line  1,  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

The condition in paragraph (a) of sub-paragraph (2) is met in relation to a parish

 

meeting only if the matters referred to in that paragraph are considered by the

 

parish meeting itself (and not by its chairman on behalf of the parish meeting).’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

50

 

Schedule  8,  page  69,  line  7,  leave out sub-paragraph (4) and insert—

 

‘(4)    

A local auditor may recover from a relevant authority—

 

(a)    

the reasonable costs of determining whether to issue an advisory notice

 

to that authority or an officer of that authority, and

 

(b)    

the reasonable costs of issuing an advisory notice to that authority or an

 

officer of that authority.

 

(4A)    

Sub-paragraph (4)(a) applies regardless of whether the notice is in fact issued.’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

51

 

Schedule  8,  page  69,  line  10,  leave out sub-paragraph (5).

 


 

Brandon Lewis

 

52

 

Clause  30,  page  20,  line  9,  at end insert—

 

‘(5)    

Subsection (6) applies if a local auditor of the accounts of a relevant authority

 

incurs costs in determining whether to make an application under this section in

 

relation to the authority, but the application is not in fact made.

 

(6)    

The local auditor may recover the reasonable costs so incurred from the relevant

 

authority.’.

 


 

Brandon Lewis

 

53

 

Schedule  9,  page  72,  line  17,  at end insert—

 

‘(10A)    

In this paragraph “enactment” includes—

 

(a)    

an enactment contained in, or in an instrument made under, a Measure or

 

Act of the National Assembly for Wales,

 

(b)    

an enactment contained in, or in an instrument made under, an Act of the

 

Scottish Parliament, and


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 7 November 2013                  

81

 

Local Audit and Accountability Bill-[Lords], continued

 
 

(c)    

an enactment contained in, or in an instrument made under, Northern

 

Ireland legislation.’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

104

 

Schedule  9,  page  72,  line  28,  leave out paragraph (f) and insert—

 

‘(f)    

a health and social care body mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (e) of

 

section 1(5) of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern

 

Ireland) 2009.’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

54

 

Schedule  9,  page  73,  line  44,  after ‘offenders,’ insert—

 

‘(ba)    

to assist in the prevention and detection of errors and inaccuracies,’.

 


 

Brandon Lewis

 

55

 

Schedule  10,  page  75,  line  4,  leave out ‘paragraphs (a) and (b)’ and insert

 

‘paragraph (a)’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

56

 

Schedule  10,  page  75,  line  10,  leave out paragraph 5.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

57

 

Schedule  10,  page  75,  line  29,  leave out paragraph 7.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

105

 

Schedule  10,  page  75,  line  34,  leave out paragraph 10 and insert—

 

‘10      

In section 25(2) (coordination of inspections: persons to whom the section

 

applies), for paragraph (a) substitute—

 

“(a)    

an inspector or assistant inspector appointed under section

 

10(1) or (2);”’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

58

 

Schedule  10,  page  75,  line  36,  leave out ‘and (3A)’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

59

 

Schedule  10,  page  75,  line  36,  leave out ‘and Auditor General for Wales’.

 

Brandon Lewis

 

60

 

Schedule  10,  page  75,  line  38,  leave out ‘Auditor General for Wales’ and insert

 

‘Wales Audit Office’.


 
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Revised 7 November 2013