‘MPs and lawyers have called for an urgent review into outsourced immigration services after it emerged Home Office profits on UK visas had surged by millions of pounds a week since visa operations were contracted to a private firm accused of exploiting applicants.’
The Independent, 18th August 2019
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Tens of thousands of international students had their visas revoked after the Home Office used “confused, misleading, incomplete and unsafe” evidence, MPs have said. The department ignored expert advice and relied on “dodgy” evidence when it accused almost 34,000 students of cheating in English language tests in 2015, according to a new report published by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on the Test of English for International Communication (Toeic).’
The Independent, 18th July 2019
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘As Roman satirist Juvenal was always asking down the pub: ‘Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?’ (But who guards the guards themselves?). For the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) the answer is the redoubtable House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC).’
Law Society's Gazette, 1st July 2019
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Cross party politicians back demands for urgent review into Home Office partnership with French firm Sopra Steria following warnings legal migrants risk being ‘thrown into the hostile environment’
The Independent, 23rd June 2019
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The National Audit Office (NAO) has today published its investigation into the Home Office’s response to widespread cheating by international students in English language tests. Clearly widespread cheating did take place but some people may have been wrongly accused and in some cases, unfairly removed from the UK.’
National Audit Office, 24th May 2019
Source: www.nao.org.uk
‘On 30 January 2019 the Court of Appeal gave their judgment in the case of Manchester Building Society v Grant Thornton UK LLP [2019] EWCA Civ 40. The following day judgment was handed down by the Honourable Mr Justice Bryan in AssetCo Plc v Grant Thornton UK LLP [2019] EWHC 150.’
Littleton Chambers, 14th February 2019
Source: www.littletonchambers.com
‘In Manchester Building Society v Grant Thornton UK LLP [2019] EWCA Civ 40, the Court of Appeal yet again had to consider the application of the SAAMCO principle. Perhaps most significantly, the decision underlines the need to distinguish between ‘information’ and ‘advice’ cases when assessing the extent of a defendant’s liability for professional negligence.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 14th February 2019
Source: hardwicke.co.uk
‘The accountancy regulator should adopt a more open procurement policy when tendering for legal and professional services, a review assessing its clout has found.’
Law Society's Gazette, 18th December 2018
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘The accounting watchdog has launched an investigation into Grant Thornton’s audits of Patisserie Valerie over the three years from 2015 to 2017, after financial irregularities were uncovered at the cafe chain earlier this year.’
The Independent, 21st November 2018
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The UK’s accountancy regulator, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has fined KPMG £2.1 million after an investigation into audits of fashion company Ted Baker.’
OUT-LAW.com, 20th August 2018
Source: www.out-law.com
‘BHS’s accounts were misleading and featured unrealistic forecasts before Sir Philip Green sold the now collapsed department store chain, according to a report into the role of the retailer’s auditor, PwC.’
The Guardian, 15th August 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Following an investigation in relation to an audit of BHS, the FRC reached a settlement with the auditors whereby they admitted misconduct and accepted the imposition of fines and other sanctions. The FRC and the auditors entered into a settlement agreement which included a 38-page “Particulars of Fact and Acts of Misconduct” setting out the “facts” as agreed between these parties.’
Blackstone Chambers, 29th June 2018
Source: www.blackstonechambers.com
‘Sir Philip Green is seeking a gagging order to prevent the full publication of a watchdog’s report that casts fresh light on the BHS scandal. On Thursday, Green launched a high court bid to stop the Financial Reporting Council publishing its damning report on the failures of the auditors responsible for checking BHS’s accounts.’
The Guardian, 21st June 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A former auditor of scandal-hit insurance software firm Quindell has been fined £1m and reprimanded by the accounting watchdog for “misconduct” in its handling of the company’s finances. The Financial Reporting Council said Arrandco Audit, formerly known as RSM Tenon, failed to “exercise sufficient professional scepticism” and to ensure the company’s financial statements in the year to January 2011 were free from inaccuracies. One of its partners, Jeremy Filley, was also slapped with an £80,000 fine.’
Daily Telegraph, 23rd January 2018
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has improved as an organisation, but must overcome “some persistent issues with the timeliness of some of its regulation activities”, the National Audit Office (NAO) has found.’
Local Government Lawyer, 19th October 2017
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘New UK regulations have been published that significantly extend the duty to report financial sanctions breaches. Previously only banks, financial institutions, certain EEA credit institutions, and currency exchange businesses were obliged to report, but the duty now applies to a far broader range of professions and sectors.’
OUT-LAW.com, 14th August 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
‘PricewaterhouseCoopers has been fined £2.3m by the accountancy watchdog over its auditing of the subprime lender Cattles and its biggest division, Welcome Financial Services, in 2007.’
The Guardian, 31st August 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Derby City Council should ensure that all legal advice is commissioned through its chief legal officer or her staff, and departments should not commission legal advice direct, auditors Grant Thornton have recommended in a public interest report.’
Local Government Lawyer, 21st June 2016
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Competition authorities in the UK are to be given new powers to combat anti-competitive behaviour, according to plans set out in the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday.’
OUT-LAW.com, 19th May 2016
Source: www.out-law.com
‘A new forensic and biometrics service is planned by the Home Office, four years after it controversially abolished its predecessor.’
BBC News, 12th March 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
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