§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many registered auditors there are in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on the number of registered auditors in Germany.
§ Mr. RedwoodAt 14 January some 27,800 individuals were registered with supervisory bodies under the Companies Act 1989 as being eligible for appointment as company auditors or responsible for company audit work on behalf of registered audit firms. I understand that there are two categories of auditors in Germany: about 12,000 Wirtschaftspruefer, who audit the accounts of large companies, and about 52,000 Steuerberater, who normally act for individuals and small companies.