(1)Regulations made by the Secretary of State may require a local authority in England to pay to the Chief Inspector an annual fee in respect of the discharge by the authority of any of their relevant functions specified in the regulations.
(2)The regulations must specify—
(a)the amount of the fee, and
(b)the time at which it is to be paid.
(3)The Chief Inspector may make a scheme under subsection (4) that is to have effect at a time when no regulations are in force under subsection (1).
(4)A scheme under this subsection (“a scheme”) may provide for a local authority in England to be required to pay to the Chief Inspector an annual fee in respect of the discharge by the authority of any of their relevant functions specified in the scheme.
(5)The amount of the fee payable by virtue of a scheme is to be such as may be specified in, or calculated or determined under, the scheme.
(6)A scheme may include provision—
(a)for different fees to be paid in different cases or classes of case;
(b)for the amount of a fee to be determined by the Chief Inspector in accordance with specified factors;
(c)for the time by which a fee must be paid;
(d)for varying or revoking a previous scheme.
(7)Before making a scheme the Chief Inspector must consult such persons as he considers appropriate.
(8)The Chief Inspector must arrange for a scheme to be published in such manner as he considers appropriate.
(9)A local authority in England must provide the Chief Inspector with such information as he requires for the purpose of determining the amount of a fee payable by the authority by virtue of a scheme.
(10)A fee payable by virtue of this section may be recovered summarily as a civil debt.
(11)But subsection (10) is not to be read as prejudicing any other method of recovery.
(12)In this section “relevant functions”, in relation to a local authority, has the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (c. 14).