Audit Commission Act 1998

36 Studies at request of educational bodies

(1) The Commission may promote or undertake studies designed to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the management or operations of a body in the first column in the Table below if requested to do so by the body (or one of the bodies) specified in relation to it in the second column—

Subject of study	Requesting body
A higher education funding council.	The council.
The governing body of an institution within the higher education sector.	The governing body or the higher education funding council.
A funding agency under Part I of the [1994 c. 30.] Education Act 1994.	The agency.
The governing body of an institution receiving financial support under Part I of the Education Act 1994.	The governing body or the appropriate funding agency.
A further education funding council.	The council.
The governing body of an institution within the further education sector.	The governing body or the appropriate further education funding council.
The Funding Agency for Schools.	The agency.
The Schools Funding Council for Wales.	The council.
The governing body of a grant-maintained school.	The governing body or the funding authority.

(2) The Commission may, at the request of a higher education funding council or a further education funding council, give the council advice in connection with the discharge of the council’s functions under section 124B(2)(b) of the [1988 c. 40.] Education Reform Act 1988 or paragraph 18(2)(b) of Schedule 7 to that Act.

(3) The Commission may, at the request of a higher education corporation, a further education corporation or the governing body of a grant-maintained school—

(a) advise them in connection with the appointment of persons to audit their accounts; and

(b) arrange for their accounts for any financial year to be audited by such of the Commission’s officers as the corporation or governing body may appoint.

(4) In subsection (3)—

(a) “higher education corporation” and “further education corporation” have the same meaning as in the [1992 c. 13.] Further and Higher Education Act 1992, and

(b) references to the accounts of a higher education corporation include references to any statement of accounts prepared by the corporation under paragraph 18 of Schedule 7 to the Education Reform Act 1988.

(5) The Commission shall charge the body at whose request any services are provided under this section such fees as will cover the full cost of providing them.

(6) This section shall be construed as one with the [1996 c. 56.] Education Act 1996; and references in any enactment to the Education Acts include a reference to this section.