Pension scheme audits

We confirm that to the best of our knowledge and belief, and having made appropriate enquiries of key managers and others who are in a position to influence or who are responsible for the operation of the Pension Scheme:

Financial statements

  1. We acknowledge and have fulfilled our responsibilities, as set out in the terms of the audit engagement, for ensuring that the Pension Scheme maintains adequate accounting records and for the preparation and presentation of the financial statements in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework. In particular, the financial statements give a true and fair view in accordance therewith.
  2. Where required, the value at which assets and liabilities are recorded in the statement of net assets (available for benefits) is, in the opinion of the trustees, the fair value.
  3. We confirm the completeness of the information provided regarding the identification of related party relationships.
  4. Other than as disclosed in the financial statements there are no:
  5. There have been no events to the date of this letter which may necessitate revision of the figures included in the financial statements or inclusion in the notes thereto. Should such events or decisions occur prior to your signature of the audit report we will advise you immediately. 
  6. The effects of uncorrected misstatements (whether arising from differences in amount, classification, presentation or disclosure of a reported financial statement item and the amount, classification, presentation or disclosure that is required for the item to be in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework) are immaterial, both individually and in the aggregate, to the financial statements as a whole.
  7. We have assessed the scheme’s ability to continue as a going concern and there have been no events, decisions or conditions other than those already advised to you either prior to the year end date or to the date of this letter that would trigger the winding up of the scheme. Should such events, decisions or conditions occur prior to your signature of the audit report we will advise you immediately. We have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis and included disclosure of any applicable matters related to going concern.
  8. With regards to our going concern assessment we confirm that our future plans are as follows:
    • details of future plans to be included which will be tailorable to specific circumstances.
    We confirm that we have evaluated the feasibility of the matters referred to above and consider the plans to be achievable.
  9. We confirm that our going concern assessment covers the period ending date to be inserted.

Information provided

  1. As agreed in the terms of engagement, we have provided you with:
    1. Access to all information of which we are aware that is relevant to the preparation of the financial statements such as records, documentation and other matters; 
    2. Additional information that you have requested from us for the purpose of the audit; and 
    3. Unrestricted access to persons responsible for the operation of, and other advisers to, the Pension Scheme from whom you determined it necessary to obtain audit evidence. 
  2. We confirm that all transactions have been recorded in the accounting records and are reflected in the financial statements. 
  3. We confirm that we have disclosed to you details of all banking and financing arrangements including related contracts and hedging products.
  4. We have disclosed to you the results of our assessment of the risk that the financial statements may be materially misstated as a result of fraud.
  5. We have disclosed to you all information in relation to fraud or suspected fraud that we are aware of and that affects the Pension Scheme and involves:
    1. Management; 
    2. Employees and others responsible for the operation of the Pension Scheme who have significant roles in internal control; or 
    3. Others where the fraud could have a material effect on the financial statements.
  6. We have disclosed to you all information in relation to allegations of fraud, or suspected fraud, affecting the Pension Scheme’s financial statements communicated by members, former members, employers, regulators or others.
  7. We confirm that no service organisation used by the scheme has reported any instance of fraud, non-compliance with laws and regulations or uncorrected misstatements affecting the financial statements.
  8. We have not made any reports to the Pensions Regulator nor are we aware of any such reports having been made by any of our advisers or others responsible for the operation of the Pension Scheme.
    We also confirm that we are not aware of any matters which have arisen that would require consideration of a report to the Pensions Regulator and that we are not aware of any late contributions or breaches of the payment schedule/schedule of contributions that do not require reporting under the easement introduced under the Occupational Pension Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2000.  
    There have been no other communications with the Pensions Regulator or other regulatory bodies during the scheme year or subsequently concerning matters of non-compliance with any administrative duty.
  9. We confirm that as far as we are aware:
    1. no services have been provided to us or our affiliated entities by RSM network firms and their related entities that we have not already informed you of;
    2. no gifts, hospitality, favours, donations or sponsorship have been exchanged between us or our affiliated entities and RSM network firms and their related entities that we have not already informed you of;
    3. no employment relationships exist between us or our affiliated entities and partners or employees of RSM network firms and their related entities we have not already informed you of; and
    4. no other business or personal relationships exist between us or our affiliated entities and RSM network forms and their related entities we have not already informed you of.

The related entities of RSM network firms are as set out in the list provided.

We have disclosed to you all known instances of non-compliance or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations whose effects should be considered when preparing financial statements.

We have also notified you of the actual or contingent consequences which may arise from such non-compliance, including any potential effects on the Pension Scheme’s ability to conduct its activities. We acknowledge our responsibility for the design, implementation and maintenance of internal control to prevent and detect fraud and error and we believe we have appropriately fulfilled those responsibilities.

To assist the auditor in complying with ISA (UK) 720 The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Other Information, we confirm that we have informed you of all the documents that will be communicated to the members with the annual report.

We confirm that the above representations are made on the basis of enquiries of advisers and other persons responsible for the operation of the scheme with relevant knowledge and experience (and, where appropriate, of inspection of supporting documentation) sufficient to satisfy ourselves that we can properly make each of the above representations to you.