Quality control requirements and audit regulation are a means to an end. By and large, the audit inspectorates of the various professional bodies, including ICAEW’s quality assurance department, have approached both issues in a constructive manner over the years.

Standards and regulation are there to help practitioners get things right, as well as to provide sanctions when things go wrong. The general view seems to be that while the system is far from perfect, it has at least served to drive some of the truly shoddy work out of the market.