Commentary on Sections Accountability Section 31: Accounts and audit
48.Section 31 sets out the accounting and auditing requirements that apply to the Commissioner. The Commissioner must keep proper accounts and accounting records and prepare annual accounts for each financial year. A financial year is defined in schedule 1 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 and is a year ending with 31 March. In fulfilling these duties, the Commissioner must comply with any directions given by the Scottish Ministers, who are responsible for such matters under section 19 of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000.
49.Under subsection (1)(c) of section 31 of the Act, a copy of the accounts are to be sent to the Auditor General for Scotland for auditing. The provisions of sections 21 and 22 of the 2000 Act then require the Auditor General to audit the accounts or appoint someone suitably qualified to do so. It also requires the accounts to be sent to the Auditor General not later than 6 months after the end of the financial year in question. Once the accounts have been audited, the 2000 Act makes provision for them to be sent to the Scottish Ministers, whereupon Ministers are required to lay them before the Parliament within 9 months of the end of the financial year in question.
50.Under subsection (3) of section 31 of the Act, the Commissioner must make a copy of their audited accounts available for inspection, free of charge, to anyone on request.