You work for a firm of auditors which has seven offices throughout England and Wales. The firm's largest client in terms of fee income is Mart Plc, a company which has grown steadily through a mixture of organic growth and acquisition of companies in the same industry sector Your firm has acted for this client since its incorporation 20 years ago and, in addition to the statutory audit, provides a range of non-audit services, including tax planning (for the company and its individual directors) and consultancy work in respect of Mart's plc for the preceding years
(a) Discuss the ethical and professional issues raised by the situation described above and identify the measures which should be implemented by your firm in order to mitigate any threats to objectivity which might arise
