The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is consulting on significant revisions to the ethics code relating to provision of non-assurance services and fees to client companies in a bid to strengthen auditor independence

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is planning to update and strengthen certain aspects of the auditor independence framework

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) has criticised the oversight of public sector audit, saying that since the abolition of the Audit Commission, quality has deteriorated 

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) is consulting on minor amendments to the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) to match the revised ethics code for accountants

Senior management and board directors, and not just the auditors, need to take some of the blame for the string of corporate collapses in recent years, says audit review chief  

Practitioners who work in the local government sector and audit community are being urged to contribute to the government’s independent Redmond review into the quality and effectiveness of local authority audit

Audit watchdog increases enforcement team by 25% during preparations for move to more powerful Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority as outgoing chairman warns reviews may not address all stakeholder expectations  

In this month’s audit updates, KPMG is hit with £3.5m BNY Mellon fine, FRC fines hit record levels, firms required to report staff misconduct, BEIS clarifies Sports Direct auditor position, PwC quits Staffline audit but wins IHG audit, IESBA aims to strengthen scepticism, FRC consults on client assets while NAO revises Code of Practice

ICAEW is consulting on proposed updates to guidance on assurance reports on internal controls of service organisations for third parties, set out in technical release 01/06 AAF

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has launched a consultation proposing limited revisions to the Client Assets Assurance Standard (CASS), which provides requirements and guidance for auditors who are have to report to the Financial Conduct Authority on an entity’s compliance with the CASS Rules

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is consulting on proposals to tighten up the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants in a bid to clarify the level of professional scepticism expected from accountants handling audits

In this month’s audit updates, Deloitte hit with £6.5m fine over Serco, Ferrexpo swaps Big Four auditor for MHA, ‘complexities’ delay Sport Direct results, BEIS audit market reform consultation, MPs concerns over FRC chair appointment, ethical standards and local authority audits both up for review

The National Audit Office (NAO) has set out the framework for a revised Code of Audit Practice for public sector auditors with a sharper focus on value for money and clearer reporting, while retaining the current principles-based approach

Plans for a radical overhaul of the audit market are progressing as the government launches an eight-week consultation to gauge views on CMA market reforms, including possible introduction of joint audits, operational split at Big Four to hive off audit, and more powers for the new audit  regulator

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is to introduce more stringent ethical rules for auditors in response to findings from recent audit enforcement cases and audit inspections