The current unqualified audit report presented in ASA 700 states the following:

In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity's preparation and fair presentation of the financial report in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate for the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an opinion on internal control.

Required

a. What does this mean? Do you think this is what users believe the auditor does?

b. What does the research say about what users believe auditors provide in relation to internal control assurance?