The Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006

Publication of certain information and advice

259.—(1) The Department may arrange for the publication, in such form and in such manner as it considers appropriate, of such information relating to any matter which is connected with the carrying out by a company holding an appointment under Chapter I of Part III of the functions of a relevant undertaker as it may appear to the Department to be in the public interest to publish.

(2) DOE may arrange for the publication, in such form and in such manner as it considers appropriate, of such information relating to any matter which is connected with its private supply functions as it may appear to DOE to be in the public interest to publish.

(3) The Authority may arrange for the publication, in such form and in such manner as it considers appropriate, of such information and advice as it may appear to the Authority to be expedient to give to any customer or potential customer of a company holding an appointment under Chapter I of Part III.

(4) In arranging for the publication of any such information or advice the Department, DOE or the Authority shall have regard to the need for excluding, so far as that is practicable—

(a) any matter which relates to the affairs of an individual, where the publication of that matter would or might, in the opinion of the Department, DOE or (as the case may be) the Authority, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that individual; and

(b) any matter which relates specifically to the affairs of a particular body of persons, whether corporate or unincorporate, where publication of that matter would or might, in the opinion of the Department, DOE or (as the case may be) the Authority, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that body.

(5) The OFT shall consult the Authority before publishing under section 6 of the Enterprise Act any information or advice which may be published by the Authority under paragraph (3).

(6) The Department may—

(a) undertake, or contribute towards the cost of, investigations and research relevant to water supplies, sewerage and sewerage treatment; and

(b) arrange for the publication of information on those matters.

(7) DOE may undertake, or contribute towards the cost of, investigations and research relevant to its private supply functions

(8) References in this Article to the private supply functions of DOE are to its functions under Article 107(2) and 118 to 123.