47Investigations by the Council
After section 29 of the WIA there is inserted—
“29APower of Council to investigate other matters
(1)The Council may investigate any matter (not being a matter which it is its duty to investigate under this Part) which appears to it to be a matter relating to the interests of consumers.
(2)Before undertaking an investigation under this section the Council shall consult the Authority, the Secretary of State and the Assembly.
(3)Where the Council has investigated a matter under this section it may make a report on that matter to the Authority, the Secretary of State, the OFT, the Assembly or any other public authority whose functions appear to the Council to be exercisable in relation to that matter.
(4)Subject to subsection (5) below, the Council may—
(a)send a report on any matter investigated under this section to any person who appears to the Council to have an interest in that matter; and
(b)publish any such report in such manner as the Council thinks appropriate.
(5)Information which relates to the affairs of any particular individual or body of persons (corporate or unincorporate)—
(a)shall not be included in a report which is to be sent to any person under subsection (4)(a) above, unless one or more of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (6) below applies; and
(b)shall be excluded from any such report which is to be published under subsection (4)(b) above, unless one or more of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (7) below applies.
(6)Information relating to a particular individual or body may be included in a report to be sent under subsection (4)(a) above if—
(a)that individual or body has consented to the disclosure;
(b)it is information that is available to the public from some other source; or
(c)it is not information the disclosure of which would or might, in the opinion of the Council, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that individual or body.
(7)Information relating to a particular individual or body may be included in a report to be published under subsection (4)(b) above if—
(a)that individual or body has consented to the publication;
(b)it is information that is available to the public from some other source; or
(c)it is not information the publication of which would or might, in the opinion of the Council, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that individual or body.
(8)Before deciding to include in such a report any information relating to a particular individual or body in pursuance of subsection (6)(c) or (7)(c) above, the Council shall—
(a)consult that individual or body; and
(b)have regard to any opinion expressed by the Authority as to the application of subsection (6)(c) or (7)(c) above to the information or as to the desirability or otherwise of its inclusion in the report;
and paragraph (b) applies whether the opinion is given in relation to the information itself or to information of a description which applies to that information.
(9)The Council shall not include in any report to be sent under subsection (4)(a) above or published under subsection (4)(b) above any information which it considers relates to any matter which is, or is likely to be, the subject of criminal proceedings.
(10)In considering whether information relates to any matter as mentioned in subsection (9) above, the Council shall have regard to any opinion expressed (whether in relation to the information itself or to information of a description which applies to that information) by the Secretary of State, the Assembly or the Director of Public Prosecutions.”