Internal audit
Thinking about the internal audit (IA) function as the control of controls is useful for making sense of the way in which the topic appears in Paper P1. IA features in the Paper P1 Study Guide in the section on internal control and review – specifically internal control, audit and compliance in corporate
governance – but you will find it mentioned in almost all the chapters of a Paper P1 study text.
Think about how the topic of control arises when Paper P1 covers the board of directors. It is best practice that ‘the board should maintain sound risk
management and internal control systems’ and ‘should establish formal and transparent arrangements for considering how they should apply the corporate reporting and risk management and internal control principles’ (UK Corporate Governance Code). The detailed provisions of the code then specify that there should be an audit committee that ‘review[s] the company’s internal control and risk management systems’ and ‘should monitor and review the effectiveness of the internal audit activities’.