Sea Fish Industry Act 1970

10 Power of the Authority to hold inquiries

(1) The Authority may hold such inquiries as they consider necessary or desirable for the discharge of any of their functions.

(2) If the Ministers are satisfied that, for the purposes of any inquiry into a particular matter under the powers conferred by this section, it is necessary so to do, the Ministers may by order, specifying the matter to be inquired into, direct that in respect of any meeting of the Authority held for the purpose of inquiring into that matter, being a meeting at which not less than three members of the Authority are present, the [1921 c. 7.] Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 shall apply to the Authority as if it were a tribunal established in accordance with that Act and as if that Act had been applied to the Authority in the manner provided for by that Act.

(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2) above, an order under that subsection shall not have the effect of applying to the Authority section 2(a) of the said Act of 1921 (tribunals to be open to the public unless this is contrary to the public interest), but the Authority may nevertheless refuse to allow the public or any portion of the public to be present at the proceedings of the Authority if and so far as it is, in the opinion of the Authority, necessary so to do for reasons connected with the subject matter of the inquiry or the nature of the evidence to be given.

(4) Subsections (2) and (3) above shall apply in relation to any inquiry held on behalf of the Authority by the Scottish Committee with the substitution of references to the committee for the references to the Authority.

(5) A draft of any order under this section shall be laid before Parliament.