Wales Audit Office
Encyclopedia
The Wales Audit Office is an independent public body which was established by the National Assembly for Wales
on 1 April 2005. It has overall responsibility for auditing on behalf of the Auditor General for Wales
, across all sectors of government in Wales, except those reserved to the UK government.
and the Audit Commission. It was not until 1 April 2005 that the Wales Audit Office was created after the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004 came into effect. The Wales Audit Office (WAO) replaced the Audit Commission and the National Audit Office Wales. All staff were transferred to the Auditor General for Wales as head of the WAO. The WAO employs around 260 people in the Cardiff headquarters and throughout Wales.
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National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
on 1 April 2005. It has overall responsibility for auditing on behalf of the Auditor General for Wales
Auditor General for Wales
The Auditor General for Wales is the public official in charge of the Wales Audit Office, the body responsible for auditing the Welsh Assembly Government, its public bodies, National Health Service bodies and local government in Wales...
, across all sectors of government in Wales, except those reserved to the UK government.
History
On 1 July 1999, The National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 came into effect, this transferred all powers from the Secretary of State for Wales to the National Assembly for Wales. Wales did not have its own auditing body, as all public auditing was carried out by the National Audit OfficeNational Audit Office (United Kingdom)
The National Audit Office is an independent Parliamentary body in the United Kingdom which is responsible for auditing central government departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies...
and the Audit Commission. It was not until 1 April 2005 that the Wales Audit Office was created after the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004 came into effect. The Wales Audit Office (WAO) replaced the Audit Commission and the National Audit Office Wales. All staff were transferred to the Auditor General for Wales as head of the WAO. The WAO employs around 260 people in the Cardiff headquarters and throughout Wales.
Award
The Wales Audit Office was awarded the 2009 Cliff Nicholson prize by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and AccountancyChartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy is a professional institute for accountants working in the public services.CIPFA has 14,000 members who work throughout the public services, in national audit agencies, in major accountancy firms, and in other bodies where public money...
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