Financial Services and Markets Bill - continued        House of Commons

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  PART XX
  AUDITORS AND ACTUARIES
 
Appointment
Appointment.     304. - (1) Rules may require an authorised person, or an authorised person falling within a specified class-
 
 
    (a) to appoint an auditor, or
 
    (b) to appoint an actuary,
  if he is not already under an obligation to do so imposed by another enactment.
 
      (2) Rules may require an authorised person, or an authorised person falling within a specified class-
 
 
    (a) to produce periodic financial reports; and
 
    (b) to have them reported on by an auditor or an actuary.
      (3) Rules may impose such other duties on auditors of, or actuaries acting for, authorised persons as may be specified.
 
      (4) Rules under subsection (1) may make provision-
 
 
    (a) specifying the manner in which and time within which an auditor or actuary is to be appointed;
 
    (b) requiring the Authority to be notified of an appointment;
 
    (c) enabling the Authority to make an appointment if no appointment has been made or notified;
 
    (d) as to remuneration;
 
    (e) as to the term of office, removal and resignation of an auditor or actuary.
      (5) An auditor or actuary appointed as a result of rules under subsection (1), or on whom duties are imposed by rules under subsection (3)-
 
 
    (a) must act in accordance with such provision as may be made by rules; and
 
    (b) is to have such powers in connection with the discharge of his functions as may be provided by rules.
      (6) In subsections (1) to (3) "auditor" or "actuary" means an auditor, or actuary, who satisfies such requirements as to qualifications, experience and other matters (if any) as may be specified.
 
      (7) "Specified" means specified in rules.
 
 
Information
Auditor or actuary's access to books etc.     305. - (1) An appointed auditor of, or an appointed actuary acting for, an authorised person-
 
 
    (a) has a right of access at all times to the authorised person's books, accounts and vouchers; and
 
    (b) is entitled to require from the authorised person's officers such information and explanations as he thinks necessary for the performance of his duties as auditor or actuary.
      (2) "Appointed" means appointed under or as a result of this Act.
 
Information given by auditor or actuary to the Authority.     306. - (1) This section applies to a person who is, or has been, an auditor of an authorised person appointed under or as a result of a statutory provision.
 
      (2) This section also applies to a person who is, or has been, an actuary acting for an authorised person and appointed under or as a result of a statutory provision.
 
      (3) An auditor or actuary does not contravene any duty to which he is subject merely because he gives to the Authority-
 
 
    (a) information on a matter of which he has, or had, become aware in his capacity as auditor of, or actuary acting for, the authorised person, or
 
    (b) his opinion on such a matter,
  if he is acting in good faith and he reasonably believes that the information or opinion is relevant to any functions of the Authority.
 
      (4) Subsection (3) applies whether or not the auditor or actuary is responding to a request from the Authority.
 
      (5) The Treasury may make regulations prescribing circumstances in which an auditor or actuary must communicate matters to the Authority as mentioned in subsection (3).
 
      (6) It is the duty of an auditor or actuary to whom any such regulations apply to communicate a matter to the Authority in the circumstances prescribed by the regulations.
 
      (7) The matters to be communicated to the Authority in accordance with the regulations may include matters relating to persons other than the authorised person concerned.
 
Information given by auditor or actuary to the Authority: persons with close links.     307. - (1) This section applies to a person who-
 
 
    (a) is, or has been, an auditor of an authorised person appointed under or as a result of a statutory provision; and
 
    (b) is, or has been, an auditor of a person ("CL") who has close links with the authorised person.
      (2) This section also applies to a person who-
 
 
    (a) is, or has been, an actuary acting for an authorised person and appointed under or as a result of a statutory provision; and
 
    (b) is, or has been, an actuary acting for a person ("CL") who has close links with the authorised person.
      (3) An auditor or actuary does not contravene any duty to which he is subject merely because he gives to the Authority-
 
 
    (a) information on a matter concerning the authorised person of which he has, or had, become aware in his capacity as auditor of, or actuary acting for, CL, or
 
    (b) his opinion on such a matter,
  if he is acting in good faith and he reasonably believes that the information or opinion is relevant to any functions of the Authority.
 
      (4) Subsection (3) applies whether or not the auditor or actuary is responding to a request from the Authority.
 
      (5) The Treasury may make regulations prescribing circumstances in which an auditor or actuary must communicate matters to the Authority as mentioned in subsection (3).
 
      (6) It is the duty of an auditor or actuary to whom any such regulations apply to communicate a matter to the Authority in the circumstances prescribed by the regulations.
 
      (7) The matters to be communicated to the Authority in accordance with the regulations may include matters relating to persons other than the authorised person concerned.
 
      (8) CL has close links with the authorised person concerned ("A") if CL is-
 
 
    (a) a parent undertaking of A;
 
    (b) a subsidiary undertaking of A;
 
    (c) a parent undertaking of a subsidiary undertaking of A; or
 
    (d) a subsidiary undertaking of a parent undertaking of A.
      (9) "Subsidiary undertaking" includes all the instances mentioned in Article 1(1) and (2) of the Seventh Company Law Directive in which an entity may be a subsidiary of an undertaking.
 
 
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Prepared 14 December 1999