(1)The Board shall keep separate accounts with respect to—
(a)its legal aid fund; and
(b)the receipts and expenditure of the Board which do not relate to that fund;
and shall prepare in respect of each financial year a statement of accounts.
(2)The accounts shall be kept and the statement of accounts shall be prepared in such form as the Lord Chancellor may, with the approval of the Treasury, direct.
(3)The accounts shall be audited by persons to be appointed in respect of each financial year by the Lord Chancellor in accordance with a scheme of audit approved by him, and the auditors shall be furnished by the Board with copies of the statement and shall prepare a report to the Lord Chancellor on the accounts and statement.
[F1(4)No person shall be appointed auditor under subsection (3) above unless he is–
(a)eligible for appointment as a company auditor under section 25 of the Companies Act 1989; or
(b)a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.]
(5)Upon completion of the audit of the accounts, the auditors shall send to the Lord Chancellor a copy of the statement of accounts and of their report, and the Lord Chancellor shall send a copy of the statement and of the report to the Comptroller and Auditor General.
(6)The Lord Chancellor and the Comptroller and Auditor General may inspect the accounts and any records relating to them.
(7)The Lord Chancellor shall lay before each House of Parliament a copy of every statement of accounts and report of the auditors sent to him under subsection (5) above.
(8)In this section “financial year ” means the period beginning with the day on which the Board is established and ending with 31st March next following and each subsequent period of 12 months ending with 31st March in each year.
Textual Amendments
F1S. 7(4) substituted (1.10.1991) by S.I. 1991/1997, reg. 2, Sch. para.69
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 7(1) applied (with modifications) (27.9.1999) by 1999 c. 22, ss. 105, 108(3)(e), Sch. 14 Pt. II para. 6(3) (with Sch. 14 para. 7(2))
C2S. 7(2)-(7) applied (27.9.1999) by 1999 c. 22, ss. 105, 108(3)(e), Sch. 14 Pt. II para. 6(4) (with Sch. 14 para. 7(2))