17.This section gives the Scottish Ministers the power to direct a health board or a local authority to exercise its public health functions where it is necessary for the purpose of protecting public health. This power applies where the Scottish Ministers consider that a health board or a local authority has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to exercise the functions conferred on it by the Act or has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to exercise them in a manner which the Scottish Ministers consider acceptable.
18.Subsection (3) sets out what should be specified in any such direction, that is the function to which it applies, the period within which the function is to be carried out, or the manner in which it is to be carried out and any other conditions imposed by the Scottish Ministers. Subsection (4) allows the Scottish Ministers to vary or withdraw any direction made.