Local Audit and Accountability Bill [HL]

Insert the following new Clause—

“Auditor’s right to documents and information of significant private contractors

(1)   A local auditor has a right of access at all reasonable times to audit
documents from significant private companies that the local authority have
contracted services to during the last financial year.

(2)   Local auditors only have a right of access to audit documents from private
companies, under subsection (1), that relate to the service provided to the
local authority by that company.

(3)   A local auditor must make available on request any audit documents,
obtained under subsection (1), subject to the provisions of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.

(4)   In this section “private company” shall be interpreted to mean any legal
entity, including joint ventures, not-for-profit organisations, mutually-held
organisations and charities.

(5)   Five years after the coming into force of this section, the Secretary of State
must commission and publish a review of the effectiveness of subsections
(1) to (3) and of the costs to local auditors, private companies and local
authorities arising from it.”

Insert the following new Clause—

“Freedom of information

(1)   In the Freedom of Information Act 2000, at the end of Part 1 of Schedule 1
(public authorities), insert—

“7 A local auditor of a local authority.”

(2)   Five years after the coming into force of this section, the Secretary of State
must commission and publish a review of the effectiveness of this section
and of the costs to local auditors, private companies and local authorities
arising from it.”

Page 88, line 37, at end insert—

“Omit sections 69 and 70 (transitional provision: local government bodies
in Wales and Welsh NHS bodies).”