The accounts of the Standards Board F1in respect of financial years ending on or before 31st March 2004must be audited by persons appointed for the purpose for eachF2such financial year by the Secretary of State.

A copy of any accounts of the Standards Board audited under sub-paragraph (2), and of the report made on those accounts by the persons appointed to audit them, must be sent to the Secretary of State as soon as reasonably practicable after the report is received by the Board.

The Secretary of State must lay before Parliament a copy of any accounts or report sent to him under sub-paragraph (3).

The Standards Board must send to the Comptroller and Auditor General a copy of the statement of accounts prepared under sub-paragraph (1) in respect of each financial year ending on or after 31st March 2005 as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of the financial year to which the statement relates.

The Comptroller and Auditor General must examine, certify and report on each statement of accounts sent to him by the Board under sub-paragraph (4A) and must lay a copy of the statement and his report on it before each House of Parliament.

In this paragraph “financial year” has the meaning given by paragraph 12(3).