Public inquiries
71.—(1) The Department may cause an inquiry to be held in any case where the Department considers it advisable to do so in connection with any matter arising under these Regulations.
(2) Without prejudice to section 23 of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(1), the Department may make rules regulating the procedure to be followed in connection with inquiries held by or on behalf of the Department under these Regulations.
(3) Where—
(a)an inquiry is to be held under these Regulations in connection with any matter; and
(b)in the case of some other matter required or authorised (whether by these Regulations or by any other statutory provision) to be the subject of an inquiry (“the other inquiry”), it appears to the Department concerned that the matters are so far cognate that they should be considered together,
the Department concerned may direct that the two inquiries be held concurrently or combined as one inquiry.
(4) In paragraph (3) “the Department concerned” means the Department, or where causing the other inquiry to be held is a function of some other Department, the Department and that other Department acting jointly.