There shall continue to be a body corporate known as the Police Authority for Northern Ireland.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Schedule 1 shall have effect in relation to the Police Authority.

The police force, traffic wardens and the police service staff of the Police Authority shall form a single service which shall be known as the Northern Ireland Police Service.

The Police Authority shall secure that the Northern Ireland Police Service is efficient and effective.

The Police Authority, with the approval of the Secretary of State, shall appoint a chief executive officer who shall be secretary to the Authority and carry out such other functions as may be assigned to him by the Authority.

The terms and conditions of service of the chief executive officer of the Police Authority shall be such as the Authority may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, determine.

The Police Authority may, with the approval of the Secretary of State as to numbers and terms and conditions of service, employ persons to assist the police force or otherwise to enable the Authority to discharge its functions.

The Police Authority may make arrangements for administrative, secretarial or other assistance to be provided for the Authority by persons employed in the civil service.

Subsection (5) does not apply to such of the persons employed by, or engaged in pursuance of arrangements under subsection (4) in providing assistance to, the Police Authority as may be determined by the Authority with the approval of the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State may by regulations provide for the transfer to the employment of the Police Authority of any person to whom this section applies.

Subsections (5) and (6) of section 3 shall apply in relation to persons transferred to the employment of the Authority under this section as they apply in relation to persons employed by the Authority under subsection (3) of that section.

Subject to the following provisions of this section, the Police Authority may for the purposes of its functions provide and maintain buildings and equipment.

Subject to the following provisions of this section, the powers of the Police Authority under this section in so far as they relate to the provision or maintenance of buildings and equipment wholly or mainly for police purposes shall be exercised, on behalf of and in the name of the Authority, by the Chief Constable.

For the purposes of this section the decision of the Secretary of State as to whether any building or equipment is provided or maintained wholly or mainly for police purposes shall be final.

The Police Authority may enter into arrangements with any other person for the maintenance, on such terms as the Authority with the approval of the Secretary of State may determine, of equipment used by that person; and maintenance of equipment carried out in pursuance of any such arrangements shall be treated for the purposes of this section as maintenance of equipment wholly for police purposes.

Nothing in this section confers power to acquire or hold land.

The power conferred by this section to provide buildings shall not be exercised except with the consent of the Secretary of State.

The power conferred by this section to provide equipment is subject to any regulations under section 40.

The power conferred by this section to provide buildings or equipment includes power to enter into a contract with another person for the provision or making available of buildings or equipment together with any services relating to such buildings or equipment.

For the purposes of its functions, the Police Authority may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, acquire, hold and dispose of land.

The power of the Police Authority to acquire land includes power to acquire it compulsorily in accordance with subsections (4) and (5).

Where the Police Authority proposes to acquire any land compulsorily it may apply to the Secretary of State for an order (“a vesting order”) vesting that land in the Authority and the Secretary of State may make such an order.

The Police Authority shall from time to time review the arrangements made under this section.

If it appears to the Secretary of State that arrangements made under this section are not adequate for the purposes set out in subsection (1), he may require the Police Authority to review the arrangements and submit a report to him concerning the arrangements.

When reviewing arrangements under subsection (3) or (4) the Police Authority shall be under the same duty to consult as when making the arrangements.

A district council may make arrangements for enabling questions on the discharge of the functions of the Police Authority to be put by members of the council at a meeting of the council for answer by a person nominated by the Police Authority for that purpose.

On being given reasonable notice by a district council of a meeting of that council at which questions on the discharge of the Authority’s functions are to be put, the Police Authority shall nominate one or more of its members to attend the meeting to answer those questions.

The power conferred on the Police Authority by subsection (1) includes a power to make arrangements under which a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary is engaged for a period of temporary service with a body or person within paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection.

The power conferred by subsection (1) shall not be exercised except with the consent of the Secretary of State which may be given subject to such conditions as appear to him to be appropriate.

Nothing in this section authorises the Police Authority to provide any financial assistance by making a grant or loan or giving a guarantee or indemnity.

The Police Authority may make charges for advice or assistance provided by it under this section.

This section is without prejudice to section 10 of the M41Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980.

A time determined under subsection (2)(b) may fall within or after the financial year concerned.

Subject to subsections (5) and (6), the Police Authority may borrow, by way of temporary loan or overdraft from a bank or otherwise, any sum which it may temporarily require for the purpose of defraying expenses pending the receipt of moneys receivable by the Authority.

The total amount outstanding on foot of borrowings under subsection (4) shall not at any time exceed such sum as the Secretary of State may specify to the Authority in writing.

Any sum borrowed under subsection (4) shall be repaid before the end of the financial year in which it is borrowed.

A draft of the estimates of receipts and payments for police purposes shall be submitted by the Chief Constable to the Police Authority.

The Police Authority shall comply with such directions as the Secretary of State may give as to the application of moneys received by the Authority otherwise than by way of grant under section 9(1); and to the extent that any statutory provision or any such direction does not require moneys so received to be applied in a particular manner or for a particular purpose, the Authority shall apply those moneys for police purposes.

The statement of accounts shall contain such information and shall be in such form as the Secretary of State may direct.

The Police Authority shall send copies of the statement of accounts to the Secretary of State and the Comptroller and Auditor General within such period after the end of the financial year to which the statement relates as the Secretary of State may direct.

The Secretary of State may determine, and from time to time revise, objectives for the policing of Northern Ireland.

Objectives shall be determined under this section by reference to a period (not being less than 3 years nor more than 5 years) specified therein.

The Secretary of State shall lay before both Houses of Parliament a copy of any objectives determined or revised by him under this section.

References in other provisions of this Act to objectives determined under this section shall, where objectives so determined have been revised, be read as references to such objectives as revised .

The Police Authority shall, before the beginning of each financial year, determine objectives for the policing of Northern Ireland during that year.

Objectives determined under this section may relate to matters to which objectives determined under section 14 also relate, or to other matters, but in any event shall be so framed as to be consistent with the objectives determined under that section.

Performance targets under paragraph (a) of subsection (4) shall be established before the beginning of the period specified in the objectives in question by virtue of section 14(3); and performance targets under paragraph (b) of that subsection shall be established before the beginning of the financial year in question.

The Chief Constable shall, after consultation with the Secretary of State and the Police Authority, issue a plan (“the strategic policing plan”) setting out the proposed arrangements for the policing of Northern Ireland during such period (not being less than 3 years nor more than 5 years) as is specified in the plan.

Where the Secretary of State revises any objectives determined by him under section 14, the Chief Constable shall, after consultation with the Secretary of State and the Police Authority, amend the strategic policing plan in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate.

The Police Authority shall, before the beginning of each financial year, issue a plan (“the annual policing plan”) setting out the proposed arrangements for the policing of Northern Ireland during that year.

A draft of the annual policing plan shall be submitted by the Chief Constable to the Police Authority for it to consider.

Before issuing an annual policing plan adopted by it under subsection (4), the Police Authority shall consult the Secretary of State.

The Police Authority shall arrange for every annual policing plan issued by it under this section to be published in such manner as appears to it to be appropriate.

Subject to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of State may make regulations as to the government, administration and conditions of service of members of F10the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Where regulations made in accordance with subsection (2)(a) vary the ranks held by members of F10the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the regulations may make such amendments as appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient to any statutory provision (including this Act) containing a reference to any rank held by a member of F10the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The Secretary of State shall consult both the F11Board and the Police Association before making any regulations under this section, other than regulations made by virtue of subsection (2)(j), (k) or (l).

The Secretary of State may make regulations as to the government, administration and conditions of service of reserve constables.

Without prejudice to the powers conferred by this section, regulations under this section shall establish, or make provision for the establishment of, procedures for cases in which a reserve constable may be dealt with by dismissal, requirement to resign, reduction in rank, reduction in rate of pay, fine, reprimand or caution.

The Secretary of State shall consult both the F14Board and the Police Association before making any regulations under this section.

In this section “member ofthe Police Service of Northern Ireland” does not include the Chief Constable.

For the purposes of subsection (5)(a), a certificate certifying that a person has been dismissed, or required to resign as an alternative to dismissal, shall be evidence of the fact so certified if it is given by or on behalf of the chief officer of the police force in which that person was engaged in relevant service.

Regulations made by virtue of section 25(3) or (4) in relation to a member of the PSNI who has completed a period of relevant service within subsection (1)(d) may provide for a relevant procedure to be treated for the purposes of the regulations as carried out in accordance with procedures for which provision is made by regulations made by virtue of section 25(3).

In subsection (6A) “ relevant procedure ” means an investigation, hearing or other procedure carried out in relation to the person concerned in a country or territory outside the United Kingdom in connection with the person’s relevant service.

The Secretary of State shall be liable in respect of F21any unlawful conduct of a member of F15the Police Service of Northern Ireland engaged on relevant service within subsection (1)(e) or (f) in the performance or purported performance of his functions in like manner as a master is liable in respect of F21any unlawful conduct of his servants in the course of their employment, and shall F21, in the case of a tort, be treated for all purposes as a joint tortfeasor.

The Secretary of State shall consult both the F24Board and the Police Association before making any regulations under this section.

The Chief Constable shall be liable in respect of F25any unlawful conduct of members of the police force under his direction and control in the performance or purported performance of their functions in like manner as a master is liable in respect of F25any unlawful conduct of his servants in the course of their employment, and accordingly shall F25, in the case of a tort, be treated for all purposes as a joint tortfeasor.

The Chief Constable may make arrangements for the legal representation of any member of the police force in any proceedings mentioned in subsection (3).

This section applies to persons serving with the F29the Police Service of Northern Ireland by virtue of section 98 of the M6Police Act 1996 or section 23 of the M7Police Act 1997 as it applies to members of the police force.

A statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (7) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Where any such action is commenced, the judge may, on an application by the defendant supported by an affidavit of facts, order that the proceedings in such action be set aside with or without costs.

An order under subsection (1) does not affect the right of any person to take, within 6 months from the date of the order, legal proceedings against any person in possession of property delivered by virtue of the order for the recovery of the property; but, on the expiration of that period, the right shall cease.

Regulations under subsection (4) may not provide for the vesting in the F31Board of property in relation to which an order has been made under Article 12 of the M9Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994.

Except as provided by subsection (8), property shall not be sold unless it has remained in the possession of the police for at least a year.

The Police Association may represent a member of the police force at any proceedings brought under regulations made in accordance with section 25(3) or 26(3) or on an appeal from any such proceedings.

Except on such an appeal or as provided by regulations made as mentioned in subsection (2), a member of the police force may only be represented under subsection (2) by another member of the police force.

The Police Association shall be entirely independent of, and subject to subsection (5) unassociated with, any body or person outside the police services of the United Kingdom, but may employ persons outside those services in an administrative or advisory capacity.

Before making any regulations under this section the Secretary of State shall consult the Police Association.

In section 62(1) of the M11Police Act 1996 (Secretary of State to take into account recommendations made by the Police Negotiating Board for the United Kingdom before making regulations with respect to hours of duty, leave, pay and allowances or the issue, use and return of police clothing, personal equipment and accoutrements and to supply the Board with a draft of the regulations) for paragraph (c) there shall be substituted—

In section 62(3) of the M12Police Act 1996 (no regulations relating to pensions to be made except after consultation with the Police Negotiating Board for the United Kingdom) for the words “section 10(4) or 25 of the Police Act (Northern Ireland) 1970” there shall be substituted “ section 25 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 ”.

Subject to the following provisions of this section, a member of the police force shall not be a member of any trade union, or of any association having for its objects, or one of its objects, to control or influence the pay, pensions or conditions of service of any police force.

Where a person was a member of a trade union before becoming a member of the police force he may, with the consent of the Chief Constable, continue to be a member of that union during the time of his service in the police force.

In this section “trade union” has the meaning assigned to it by Article 3(1) of the M13Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1992; and if any question arises whether any body is a trade union or an association to which this section applies, the question shall be determined by the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland.

Nothing in this section applies to membership of the Police Association or of any body recognised by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section as representing members of the police force who are not members of the Police Association.

The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for requiring the police force to use specified facilities, equipment or services, or facilities, equipment or services of a specified description, if he considers that it would be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of the police force for it to do so.

Before making any regulations under this section relating to information technology, the Secretary of State shall consult the Police Information Technology Organisation.

In subsection (3) “information technology” includes any computer or other technology by means of which information or other matter may be recorded or communicated without being reduced to documentary form.

The Secretary of State may appoint from among Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary appointed under section 54 of the M14Police Act 1996 such number of inspectors of constabulary for Northern Ireland as he may determine.

The inspectors may inspect and report to the Secretary of State on the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Criminal Intelligence Service.

Where the inspectors carry out an inspection under subsection (3A), they shall send a report on that inspection to the Secretary of State.

Any expenditure incurred for the purposes of or in connection with an inspection under this section shall be defrayed by the Secretary of State.

Subject to subsection (2), the Secretary of State shall arrange for any report received by him under section 41(2) or (3) F78and any report of an inspection under section 41(4)(a) to be published in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate.

The F41Board shall invite the Chief Constable to submit comments on the published report to F42the Board before such date as it may specify.

The F41Board shall send a copy of any document published under subsection (5) to the Secretary of State.

The Chief Constable shall, at such times and in such form as the Secretary of State may direct, transmit to the Secretary of State such particulars with respect to offences, offenders, criminal proceedings and the state of crime in Northern Ireland as the Secretary of State may require.

The Secretary of State shall cause an abstract of the information transmitted to him under this section to be prepared and published in such manner as he thinks appropriate.

The Secretary of State may cause an inquiry to be held by a person appointed by him into any matter connected with policing.

An inquiry under this section shall be held in public or in private as the Secretary of State may direct.

Schedule 8 to the M15Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 (inquiries and investigations) shall apply to an inquiry under this section with the substitution for references to the Ministry of references to the Secretary of State.

Where the report of the person holding an inquiry under this section is not published, a summary of his findings and conclusions shall be made known by the Secretary of State so far as appears to him consistent with the public interest.

The Police Authority shall, not later than 6 months after the end of each financial year, issue a report relating to the policing of Northern Ireland for the year.

The Police Authority shall, whenever required by the Secretary of State, submit to the Secretary of State a report on such matters connected with the discharge of the Authority’s functions, or otherwise with the policing of Northern Ireland, as may be specified in the requirement.

The Secretary of State may arrange, or require the Police Authority to arrange, for a report under subsection (4) to be published in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate.

The Chief Constable shall, not later than 3 months after the end of each financial year, submit to the Police Authority a general report on the policing of Northern Ireland during that year.

The Chief Constable shall arrange for a report submitted under subsection (1) to be published in such manner as appears to him to be appropriate.

The Chief Constable shall, whenever so required by the Police Authority, submit to the Authority a report on such matters connected with the policing of Northern Ireland as may be specified in the requirement.

The Police Authority may arrange, or require the Chief Constable to arrange, for a report under subsection (3) to be published in such manner as appears to the Authority to be appropriate.

The Chief Constable shall, whenever so required by the Secretary of State, submit to the Secretary of State a report on such matters connected with the policing of Northern Ireland as may be specified in the requirement.

The Secretary of State may arrange, or require the Chief Constable to arrange, for a report under subsection (1) to be published in such manner as appears to the Secretary of State to be appropriate.

The Chief Constable shall, at the same time as he submits a report to the Police Authority under section 48(1), submit the same report to the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State shall lay before both Houses of Parliament every report submitted to him under subsection (4).

Where a complaint is made orally, references in this Part to a complaint being referred to a body or person shall be read as references to particulars of the complaint being so referred.

For the purposes of this Part there shall be a Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.

The person for the time being holding the office of Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland shall by that name be a corporation sole.

Schedule 3 shall have effect in relation to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (in this Part referred to as “the Ombudsman”).

The Independent Commission for Police Complaints for Northern Ireland is hereby abolished.

Subject to subsection (5), this subsection applies to a complaint about the conduct of a member of the police force which is made by, or on behalf of, a member of the public.

Subsection (4) does not apply to a complaint in so far as it relates to the direction and control of the police force by the Chief Constable.

Where the Ombudsman determines that a complaint made or referred to him under paragraph (1) is not a complaint to which subsection (4) applies, he shall refer the complaint to the Chief Constable, the F48Board or the Secretary of State as he thinks fit and shall notify the complainant accordingly.

A complaint referred under subsection (6) shall be dealt with according to the discretion of the Chief Constable, the F48Board or the Secretary of State (as the case may be).

Subject to subsection (9), where the Ombudsman determines that a complaint made or referred to him under subsection (1) is a complaint to which subsection (4) applies, the complaint shall be dealt with in accordance with the following provisions of this Part; and accordingly references in those provisions to a complaint shall be construed as references to a complaint in relation to which the Ombudsman has made such a determination.

If any conduct to which a complaint wholly or partly relates is or has been the subject of disciplinary or criminal proceedings, none of the following provisions of this Part shall have effect in relation to the complaint in so far as it relates to that conduct.

In the case of a complaint made otherwise than as mentioned in subsection (2)(a), the Chief Constable shall, if so requested by the Ombudsman, take such steps as appear to the Chief Constable to be desirable for the purpose of preserving evidence relating to the conduct complained of.

The Ombudsman shall consider whether the complaint is suitable for informal resolution and may for that purpose make such investigations as he thinks fit.

If it appears to the Ombudsman that the complaint is suitable for informal resolution, he shall refer the complaint to the appropriate disciplinary authority.

Where a complaint is referred under subsection (3), the appropriate disciplinary authority shall seek to resolve it informally and may appoint a member of the police force to do so on behalf of the authority.

The Chief Constable shall, at the request of the F49Board, provide a member of the police force to be appointed by the F49Board under subsection (4).

Subject to subsection (8), no statement made by any person for the purpose of the informal resolution of a complaint shall be admissible in any subsequent criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings.

A statement is not rendered inadmissible by subsection (7) if it consists of or includes an admission relating to a matter which does not fall to be resolved informally.

Where the complaint is a serious complaint, the Ombudsman shall formally investigate it in accordance with section 56.

The Chief Constable shall refer to the Ombudsman any matter which appears to the Chief Constable to indicate that conduct of a member of the police force may have resulted in the death of some other person.

Where any matter is referred to the Ombudsman under subsection (1) or (2), he shall formally investigate the matter in accordance with section 56.

Where any matter is referred to the Ombudsman under subsection (4), he shall formally investigate the matter in accordance with section 56 if it appears to him that it is desirable in the public interest that he should do so.

Where a complaint or matter is to be formally investigated by the Ombudsman under section 54(2) or (3)(a) or 55(3), (5) or (6), he shall appoint an officer of the Ombudsman to conduct the investigation.

The Secretary of State may by order provide that any provision of the M16Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 which relates to investigation of offences conducted by police officers (within the meaning of that Order) shall apply, subject to such modifications as the order may specify, to investigations under this section conducted by persons who are not police officers (within the meaning of that Order).

A person employed by the Ombudsman under paragraph 3(1) of Schedule 3 shall for the purpose of conducting, or assisting in the conduct of, an investigation under this section have all the powers and privileges of a constable throughout Northern Ireland and the adjacent United Kingdom territorial waters; and subsection (3) of F52section 32 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 applies for the purposes of this subsection as it applies for the purposes of subsection (2) of that section.

Section 66 applies to a person to whom subsection (3) applies as it applies to a constable.

At the end of an investigation under this section the person appointed to conduct the investigation shall submit a report on the investigation to the Ombudsman.

Where a complaint is referred to the Chief Constable under section 54(3)(b), he shall appoint a police officer to investigate it formally on behalf of the Ombudsman.

A member of the police force may not be appointed to investigate a complaint formally if he has previously been appointed to act in relation to it under section 53(4).

The Ombudsman may supervise the investigation of any complaint under this section if he considers that it is desirable in the public interest for him to do so.

Where the Ombudsman decides to supervise an investigation under this section he shall notify the Chief Constable to that effect.

A member of a police force in Great Britain who is appointed to conduct an investigation under this section shall, for the purpose of conducting that investigation, have all the powers and privileges of a constable throughout Northern Ireland and the adjacent United Kingdom territorial waters; and subsection (3) of F53section 32 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 applies for the purposes of this subsection as it applies for the purposes of subsection (2) of that section.

The Ombudsman may impose requirements as to the conduct of an investigation which the Ombudsman is supervising; and it shall be the duty of a police officer to comply with any requirement imposed on him by virtue of this subsection.

At the end of an investigation under this section the police officer appointed to conduct the investigation shall submit a report on the investigation to the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman shall consider any report made under section 56(6) or 57(8) and determine whether the report indicates that a criminal offence may have been committed by a member of the police force.

If the Ombudsman determines that the report indicates that a criminal offence may have been committed by a member of the police force, he shall send a copy of the report to the Director together with such recommendations as appear to the Ombudsman to be appropriate.

Where a report is sent to the Director under subsection (2), the Ombudsman shall, at the request of the Director, ascertain and furnish to the Director all such further information in relation to the complaint or matter dealt with in the report as appears to the Director to be necessary for the discharge of his functions under the M19Prosecution of Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1972.

In this section and section 59 “the Director” means the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.

If he does so, he must inform the complainant and the member of the police force concerned.

If the complainant and the member of the police force concerned agree to attempt to resolve the complaint through mediation, the Ombudsman shall act as mediator.

Anything communicated to the Ombudsman while acting as mediator is not admissible in evidence in any subsequent criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings.

But that does not make inadmissible anything communicated to the Ombudsman if it consists of or includes an admission relating to a matter which does not fall to be resolved through mediation.

If a complaint is resolved through mediation under this section, no further proceedings under this Act shall be taken against the member of the police force concerned in respect of the subject matter of the complaint.

The Ombudsman shall consider the question of disciplinary proceedings.

In a case mentioned in subsection (1A)(b), the Ombudsman shall, in considering the recommendation to be made in his memorandum, take into account the conduct of the member of the police force concerned in relation to the proposed resolution of the complaint through mediation.

No disciplinary proceedings shall be brought by the appropriate disciplinary authority before it receives the memorandum of the Ombudsman under subsection (2).

The F57Board shall advise the Ombudsman of what action it has taken in response to a recommendation contained in a memorandum sent to it under subsection (2); and nothing in the following provisions of this section has effect in relation to senior officers.

An agreement for the establishment in relation to any body of constables maintained by an authority other than the F58Board of procedures corresponding or similar to any of those established by virtue of this Part may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, be made between the Ombudsman and the authority maintaining the body of constables.

Where no such procedures are in force in relation to any body of constables, the Secretary of State may by order establish such procedures.

An agreement under this section may at any time be varied or terminated with the approval of the Secretary of State.

Nothing in any other statutory provision shall prevent an authority which maintains a body of constables from carrying into effect procedures established by virtue of this section.

No such procedures shall have effect in relation to anything done by a constable outside Northern Ireland.

But subsection (1) does not authorise the Ombudsman to investigate a practice or policy to the extent that the practice or policy is concerned with conduct of a kind mentioned in section 65(5) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (conduct which may be within jurisdiction of tribunal established under section 65 of that Act).

When an investigation under this section has been completed the Ombudsman shall report on it to the Chief Constable and the Board.

The Ombudsman shall, at the request of the Secretary of State, report to the Secretary of State on such matters relating generally to the functions of the Ombudsman as the Secretary of State may specify, and the Ombudsman may for that purpose carry out research into any such matters.

The Ombudsman may make a report to the Secretary of State on any matters coming to the Ombudsman’s attention under this Part to which the Ombudsman considers that the Secretary of State’s attention should be drawn in the public interest.

The Ombudsman shall, not later than 3 months after the end of each financial year, make to the Secretary of State a report on the discharge of the Ombudsman’s functions during that year.

The Ombudsman shall send to the F59Board any statistical or other general information which the Ombudsman considers should be brought to the attention of the F59Board in connection with its functions under section 2(4)(a).

The Ombudsman shall compile, and supply the Board with, such statistical information as is required to enable the Board to carry out its functions under section 3(3)(c)(i) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000.

The Ombudsman shall supply the Board with any other general information which the Ombudsman considers should be brought to the attention of the Board in connection with its functions under section 3(3)(c)(i) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000.

Any person who discloses information in contravention of this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

Regulations under this section may authorise the Secretary of State to make provision for any purposes specified in the regulations.

Guidance may not be issued under subsection (1) in relation to the handling of a particular case.

A failure on the part of a person to whom guidance is issued under this section to have regard to such guidance shall be admissible in evidence on any appeal from a decision taken in proceedings under regulations made in accordance with section 25(3) or 26(3).

In discharging his functions under this Part the Ombudsman shall have regard to any guidance given to him by the Secretary of State with respect to matters the disclosure of which may be prejudicial to the public interest.