15(1)A commission may, with the approval of the Ministers and at their expense, arrange for the carrying out (whether by the commission themselves or by others) of research of any kind appearing to the commission to be relevant to a referred matter.
(2)In this paragraph “the Ministers” means the Secretaries of State for the time being having general responsibility in planning matters in relation to Scotland and in relation to England, acting jointly; but their functions under this paragraph may, by arrangements made between them, be exercised by either acting on behalf of both.