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In preparing the accounts, the Accountable Officer is required to comply with the requirements of HM Treasury's Financial Reporting Manual and in particular to:

• Observe the Accounts Direction issued by the Scottish Ministers (see page 210), including the relevant accounting disclosure requirements, and apply these accounting policies on a consistent basis.
• Make judgements and estimates on a reasonable basis.
• State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed and disclose and explain any material departures in the accounts.
• Prepare the accounts on the going concern basis, unless it is inappropriate to presume that Scottish Enterprise will continue in operation.
• Confirm that the Annual Report and Accounts document is fair, balanced and understandable and take personal responsibility for the Annual Report and Accounts and the judgements required for determining that it is fair, balanced and understandable.

The Principal Accountable Officer for The Scottish Administration has designated the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise as its Accountable Officer. Their relevant responsibilities as Accountable Officer, including the responsibility for the propriety, regularity and value for money of the public finances for which they are answerable and for the keeping of proper records and for safeguarding Scottish Enterprise's assets, are set out in Managing Public Money published by HM Treasury. Applicable principles and guidance on the responsibilities of the Accountable Officer are also set out in the Scottish Enterprise Framework Document and in the Memorandum to Accountable Officers of Other Public Bodies issued by the Scottish Government and published as part of Annex 2 of the Accountability chapter of the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

As the Accountable Officer, as far as I am aware, there is no relevant information of which Scottish Enterprise's auditors are unaware, and I have taken all necessary steps to make myself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that Scottish Enterprise's auditors are aware of that information.

Furthermore, I confirm that the Annual Report and Accounts as a whole are fair, balanced and understandable and, as Accountable Officer, I take personal responsibility for the Annual Report and Accounts and the judgements required for determining that they are fair, balanced and understandable.