328.An auditor may, under section 8 of the Audit Commission Act 1998, make a report in the public interest on any matters coming to his notice during an audit which he considers should be brought to the attention of the public. A report may be made at the conclusion of an audit, or where the auditor considers it appropriate the matter may be made the subject of an immediate report. The auditor must give a copy of the report to the audited body forthwith if it is an immediate report, or otherwise within 14 days of the conclusion of the audit. Where an audited body receives an immediate report any member of the public may inspect the report, make copies or require the body to supply a copy of the report, or any part of it, on payment of a reasonable fee. The auditor may also notify any person that he has made a report and supply a copy or any part of it to any person he thinks fit.
329.This section amends the Audit Commission Act 1998 to provide that auditors should assume responsibility for publishing all public interest reports, notifying persons they think fit that such reports have been published and supplying copies to members of the public on request. From the time a report is sent to an audited body, auditors should ensure that members of the public may inspect reports and have copies made available. The obligation on auditors to provide copies will last for one year, thereafter it will fall to the Audit Commission.