PART 1 U.K.The Small Business Commissioner

Reports and reviewsU.K.

9Annual reportU.K.

(1)After the end of each reporting period, the Commissioner must prepare and publish a report which—

(a)describes what the Commissioner has done during the period,

(b)contains a summary of the matters which the Commissioner considers to be the most significant matters raised by small businesses with the Commissioner during the period, and

(c)states the Commissioner's recommendations (if any) as to how any of these matters might be addressed.

(2)As well as publishing the report, the Commissioner must send a copy to the Secretary of State.

(3)The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the report before Parliament.

(4)In this section “reporting period” means—

(a)the period beginning with the day on which section 1 comes into force and ending with the following 31 March, and

(b)each successive period of 12 months.

10Review of Commissioner's performanceU.K.

(1)The Secretary of State must review the Commissioner's performance for each review period.

(2)For the purposes of subsection (1), the Secretary of State may direct the Commissioner to provide the Secretary of State with information specified in the direction.

(3)The first review period is the period beginning with the day on which section 1 comes into force and ending 2 years after the following 31 March.

(4)Subsequent review periods are each successive period of 3 years after the first review period.

(5)A review must, in particular, assess how effective the Commissioner has been in carrying out his or her functions, and in doing so may, in particular, assess the impact of the Commissioner's actions on—

(a)improving payment practices in commercial transactions;

(b)the awareness of small businesses of, or the use by small businesses of, alternative dispute resolution procedures.

(6)As soon as practicable after a review period, the Secretary of State must—

(a)publish a report of the findings of the review for that period, and

(b)lay a copy of the report before Parliament.