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Audit Commission

Answer

This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the Controller of Audit at the Audit Commission to write to the noble Lord direct.

Letter from Marcine Waterman, Controller of Audit, Audit Commission, dated 28 February 2013 to Lord Christopher

Parliamentary Question: how many staff are currently employed by the Audit Commission; and what functions the Commission continues to perform.

Your Parliamentary Question outlined above has been passed to me to reply.

I would add that the programme to end routine inspection and assessment, disband the Audit Commission and introduce a new local audit framework will save £650 million of taxpayers’ money over the next five years.

Your Parliamentary Question outlined above has been passed to me to reply.

As at 1 January 2013 the Audit Commission employed 162 staff. We continue to transition to a smaller organisation of fewer than 70 staff.

The Audit Commission’s core function continues to be the oversight and regulation of the local audit regime. The Commission has four statutory functions in relation to audit:

appointing auditors to local government and NHS bodies;

preparing and keeping under review Codes of Audit Practice, which prescribe how auditors should discharge their statutory duties;

prescribing scales of fees for audits; and

making arrangements for the certification of grant claims and returns.

The Commission appoints auditors to NHS charities under Section 43A of the Charities Act 1993 and also has specific powers to match data for the purposes of preventing and detecting fraud: the National Fraud Initiative.

As well, the Commission has a statutory function, as set out in the Audit Commission Act 1988, to undertake or promote comparative or other studies to improve the services and functions of its audited bodies. This function is currently fulfilled by our programme of national briefings, which supports the work of auditors.

A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

743 c344WA; HL5648

Session

2012-13

Subjects

Audit Commission Staff

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk