Commentary Part 16: Audit Chapter 3: Functions of Auditors Section 508: Guidance for regulatory and prosecuting authorities: England, Wales and Northern Ireland
771.This section enables the Secretary of State to issue guidance about handling matters where the same behaviour by an auditor could give rise both to disciplinary proceedings by a regulatory body, and to prosecution for the new offence. Subsection (2) requires the Secretary of State to obtain the Attorney’s General agreement to any guidance. Subsection (3) lists the regulatory and prosecuting authorities the guidance would be intended to help. The list comprises the accountancy supervisory bodies, recipients of grants under section 16 of the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004) (currently the Financial Reporting Council and its subsidiaries), the Director of the Serious Fraud Office and the Director of Public Prosecutions, as well as the Secretary of State himself. Under subsection (4), the Secretary of State’s guidance is limited to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
772.It is likely that one of the most important aspects of the guidance would be to enable prosecutors to decide not to prosecute in a particular case that would be better handled through disciplinary proceedings.