Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007

Functions: supplementary

26Ancillary powers

(1)The Board may do anything which it thinks necessary or expedient for the purpose of, or in connection with, the exercise of its functions.

(2)Anything required to be published by the Board may be published by it in such manner as it thinks fit.

27Reports

(1)As soon as possible after the end of each financial year the Board must produce a report on—

(a)what it has done during that year,

(b)what it has found during that year, and

(c)what it intends to do during the next financial year.

(2)The Board must lay a report under subsection (1) before—

(a)Parliament,

(b)the Scottish Parliament,

(c)the National Assembly for Wales, and

(d)the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(3)The Board may at any time produce a report about any matter relating to the exercise of its functions.

(4)The Board must lay a report under subsection (3) before one or more of the following—

(a)Parliament;

(b)the Scottish Parliament;

(c)the National Assembly for Wales;

(d)the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(5)Where the Board lays a report under this section it must publish it as soon as possible thereafter.

28Efficiency etc

(1)The Board must exercise its functions efficiently and cost-effectively.

(2)The Board must seek to minimise the burdens (including financial burdens) it imposes on other persons.

29Directions

(1)If the Minister for the Cabinet Office considers that there has been a serious failure by the Board—

(a)to comply with its objective, or

(b)to perform any of its functions,

he may give the Board such directions as he considers appropriate to remedy the failure.

(2)If the Scottish Ministers consider that there has been a serious failure by the Board—

(a)to comply with its objective, or

(b)to perform any of its functions so far as relating to Scottish devolved statistics,

they may, with the consent of the Minister for the Cabinet Office, give the Board such directions as they consider appropriate to remedy the failure.

(3)If the Welsh Ministers consider that there has been a serious failure by the Board—

(a)to comply with its objective, or

(b)to perform any of its functions so far as relating to Welsh devolved statistics,

they may, with the consent of the Minister for the Cabinet Office, give the Board such directions as they consider appropriate to remedy the failure.

(4)If the Department of Finance and Personnel for Northern Ireland considers that there has been a serious failure by the Board—

(a)to comply with its objective, or

(b)to perform any of its functions so far as relating to Northern Ireland devolved statistics,

it may, with the consent of the Minister for the Cabinet Office, give the Board such directions as it considers appropriate to remedy the failure.

(5)The Minister for the Cabinet Office may give the Board such directions as he considers appropriate for the purpose of implementing any Community obligation.

(6)A direction under this section must be in writing.

(7)A direction under this section must be published by the authority which gave it in such manner as that authority considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing it to the attention of persons likely to be affected by it.

(8)Where the Minister for the Cabinet Office gives a direction under this section—

(a)he must lay a copy before Parliament, and

(b)he must notify the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers and the Department of Finance and Personnel for Northern Ireland of the direction, who must lay a copy before the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.

(9)Where the Scottish Ministers give a direction under this section—

(a)they must lay a copy before the Scottish Parliament, and

(b)the Minister for the Cabinet Office must lay a copy before Parliament.

(10)Where the Welsh Ministers give a direction under this section—

(a)they must lay a copy before the National Assembly for Wales, and

(b)the Minister for the Cabinet Office must lay a copy before Parliament.

(11)Where the Department of Finance and Personnel for Northern Ireland gives a direction under this section—

(a)it must lay a copy before the Northern Ireland Assembly, and

(b)the Minister for the Cabinet Office must lay a copy before Parliament.

(12)If the Board fails to comply with any direction given to it under this section, the authority which gave the direction may give effect to it, and for that purpose may exercise any function of the Board.

(13)But the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers and the Department of Finance and Personnel for Northern Ireland may only give effect to a direction under subsection (12) with the consent of the Minister for the Cabinet Office.