(1)Her Majesty may by Order in Council appoint—
(a)a Chief Inspector of Fire and Rescue Authorities; and
(b)such number of Inspectors of Fire and Rescue Authorities as the Scottish Ministers may determine.
(2)The Scottish Ministers may appoint Assistant Inspectors of Fire and Rescue Authorities.
(3)The Scottish Ministers shall pay to the persons appointed under this section such remuneration as the Scottish Ministers may determine.
(4)A person who, immediately before the coming into force of this section, is by virtue of appointment under section 24 of the Fire Services Act 1947 (c. 41)—
(a)the Chief Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland, shall be taken to have been appointed under subsection (1)(a);
(b)an Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland, shall be taken to have been appointed under subsection (1)(b);
(c)an Assistant Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland, shall be taken to have been appointed under subsection (2).
(1)The Scottish Ministers may direct a person appointed under section 43 to—
(a)inquire into a matter mentioned in subsection (2); and
(b)to submit to them a written report on that matter by a date specified by them.
(2)Those matters are—
(a)the state and efficiency of relevant authorities generally;
(b)the manner in which—
(i)a relevant authority is carrying out any of its functions under this Act; or
(ii)relevant authorities are carrying out such functions generally;
(c)technical matters relating to a function of a relevant authority under this Act.
(3)The Scottish Ministers shall lay a copy of each report submitted to them under subsection (1)(b) on the matter mentioned in subsection (2)(a) before the Scottish Parliament.