PART 3The Health and Social Care Information Centre

Powers of Secretary of State or Board to give directions32

1

The Secretary of State or the Board may give directions to the Information Centre requiring the Centre to exercise such systems delivery functions of the Secretary of State or (as the case may be) the Board as may be specified in the direction.

2

The giving of a direction under paragraph (1)—

a

by the Secretary of State, may include provision about payments by the Secretary of State to the Information Centre for things done in the exercise of the function in respect of which the direction is given;

b

by the Board, must permit the Information Centre to charge the Board a reasonable fee in respect of the cost of complying with the direction.

3

The giving of a direction under paragraph (1) does not prevent the Secretary of State or (as the case may be) the Board from exercising the function in respect of which the direction is given.