Clause 8 - Procedure for appointment

Part of Local Audit and Accountability Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 2:00 pm on 7 November 2013.

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Photo of Brandon Lewis Brandon Lewis The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Communities and Local Government 2:00, 7 November 2013

Thank you, Sir Edward. Amendment 96 would require relevant authorities to have an audit committee and allow the authority to instruct its audit committee to appoint an auditor panel. The amendment builds on discussions on the matter in the other place. I understand that the hon. Member for Corby may be of the view that audit committees should be made a statutory requirement for local authorities. The Government believe that such a requirement would be unnecessary and overly prescriptive. We do not think there is a clear case for imposing statutory audit committees on local government. Under the accounts and audit regulations, local authorities are already required to ensure that a committee or meeting of the whole body reviews arrangements for internal control and the effectiveness of internal audit. They must also approve the annual governance statement, consider and approve the statement of accounts, and consider the annual audit letter from their auditor.