Companies Act 2014 section 1518

Supplemental provisions in relation to section 1517

Section 1518 ensures that the confidentiality obligations imposed on statutory auditors and audit firms under section 1517 do not simply fall away when the auditor's engagement or status changes.

• Confidentiality obligations under section 1517 survive the end of an audit engagement — they do not expire when the auditor or audit firm is no longer involved in a particular statutory audit.
• The obligations also survive if the auditor or audit firm ceases to hold statutory auditor or audit firm status altogether.
• Even a person or firm that is no longer practising as an auditor in any capacity must continue to comply with the confidentiality and secrecy rules.
• The duty is ongoing and unconditional: there is no time limit or circumstance that automatically releases a current or former auditor from these requirements.

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