5(1)The Commission must, as soon as possible after the end of each financial year, prepare a report on how it has exercised its functions during the financial year.
(2)Each annual report must include information about the persons who have applied to be, and the persons who have been, selected to be appointed or recommended for appointment by the Commission during the financial year to which it relates.
(3)The information to be included about any persons in an annual report must include information about their gender, age, ethnic origins and community background and the part of Northern Ireland (if any) with which they regard themselves as being most closely associated.
(4)But an annual report must not identify any person or include information from which the identity of any person could be readily ascertained.
(5)The Commission must send a copy of each annual report to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
(6)The First Minister and deputy First Minister, acting jointly, must lay before the Assembly a copy of each annual report received by their Office under sub-paragraph (5).
(7)After a copy of a report has been laid before the Assembly, the Commission must arrange for it to be published.
(8)In this paragraph “financial year” means—
(a)the period beginning with the day on which section 3 comes into force and ending with the first 31st March which falls at least six months after that day, and
(b)each subsequent period of twelve months beginning with 1st April.