Inquiries for which more than one Minister responsible
34Change of responsibility for inquiry
1
Each of the Ministers concerned may agree in writing that, as from a date specified in the agreement (“the specified date”), one or more Ministers should become, or cease to be, responsible for an inquiry.
2
Where an agreement is made under this section—
a
in relation to any time on or after the specified date, references in this Act to the Minister responsible for the inquiry are to be read in accordance with the agreement;
b
each of the Ministers concerned has obligations under section 39 only in relation to the period when that Minister was or is responsible for the inquiry.
3
Subsection (2)(b) is subject to any different arrangements that may be specified in the agreement under this section.
4
Where as a result of an agreement under this section the terms of reference of the inquiry fail to comply with an applicable limitation imposed by section 27(2), 28(2), 29(2) or 30(2) or (3), they are to be read subject to such modifications as are necessary to make them comply with the limitation.
5
In this section “the Ministers concerned” means the Ministers responsible for the inquiry before the specified date together with any who, under the agreement, are to become responsible for it as from that date.