Nor does the issue help the reputation of the accountancy profession, whose auditing before and during the global financial crisis has come into question.

BBC: KPMG quits audit roles over insider trading allegations

Mr Berardino's defence, beyond accusing Enron of withholding information, is that the accountancy profession as a whole is at fault, and a few others as well, such as credit-rating agencies and investment bankers.

ECONOMIST: ��Errors of judgment�� are piling up at Andersen

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants said the accountancy profession, praised in the report for its encouragement of non-graduates, was willing to share best practice with other professions about how to offer "flexible routes" to getting qualifications.

BBC: UK Politics

On Friday, listeners will be hoping that Mr Berardino, whose company failed to uncover a slew of hidden debts while auditing bankrupt energy trading giant Enron, will explain how the accountancy profession aims to reassure investors that its audits can be relied on.

BBC: US Secretary of State Colin Powell