Commentary Part 16: Audit Chapter 3: Functions of Auditors Section 505: Names to be stated in published copies of auditor’s report
766.This section requires a company to ensure that the copies of its auditor’s report it sends out include the name of the auditor and of the senior statutory auditor if there is one, or to say that it is taking advantage of the exemption in the following section. Subsection (2) provides that this includes copies circulated to shareholders, as well as any others that would be expected to be seen by members of the public. It does not, however, cover copies sent to the registrar: these are dealt with by sections 444(7), 445(6), 446(4) and 447(4). Subsections (3) and (4) restate the offence, currently in section 236 of the 1985 Act, of not including the auditor’s name – and now also the senior statutory auditor’s name – as required.