(1)A trade union required to maintain a register of the names and addresses of its members by section 24 must, in relation to each reporting period, appoint a qualified independent person to be an assurer in relation to that period.
(2)There is incorporated in the assurer's appointment a duty which the assurer owes to the trade union—
(a)to provide to the union a membership audit certificate in relation to the reporting period which accords with the requirements of section 24ZD, and
(b)to carry out such enquiries as the assurer considers necessary to enable the assurer to provide that certificate.
(3)A person is a “qualified independent person” if—
(a)the person either satisfies such conditions as may be specified for the purposes of this section by order of the Secretary of State or is specified by name in such an order, and
(b)the trade union has no grounds for believing that—
(i)the person will carry out an assurer's functions otherwise than competently, or
(ii)the person's independence in relation to the union might reasonably be called into question.
(4)None of the following may act as an assurer—
(a)an officer or employee of the trade union or of any of its branches or sections;
(b)a person who is a partner of, or in the employment of, or who employs, such an officer or employee.
(5)This section does not apply to a trade union in relation to a reporting period if the number of its members at the end of the preceding reporting period did not exceed 10,000.
(6)Any order under this section is to be made by statutory instrument and is to be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.]
Textual Amendments
F1Ss. 24ZB-24ZG inserted (30.1.2014 for specified purposes, 6.4.2015 in so far as not already in force and with application in accordance with art. 3 of the commencing S.I.) by Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 (c. 4), ss. 41(2), 45(3)(c); S.I. 2015/717, art. 3(1)(b) (with art. 3(2))