Inspections
Section 26 – Inspections of the Authority’s services and the Agency
51.This section requires the inspectors of constabulary appointed under section 33 of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 (i.e. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC)) to carry out periodic inspections of the Authority and the Agency and to publish the reports of these inspections. HMIC already have this duty in respect of police forces.
Section 27 – Inspections of the Authority at request of the Scottish Ministers
52.This section gives the Scottish Ministers the power to require HMIC to carry out an inspection, and publish a report, on the Authority (including the Agency) or any of its functions or activities. The Scottish Ministers already have this power in respect of inspections of police forces.
Section 28 – Reports on inspections: powers of the Scottish MinistersSection 29 – Revision of inadequate action plan
53.These sections give the Scottish Ministers powers by which to secure remedial action if a report by HMIC advises that any part of the Authority or the Agency is, or is likely to become, inefficient or ineffective. The powers broadly mirror those which the Scottish Ministers have in respect of police forces. In such circumstances the Scottish Ministers are empowered to require the Authority to submit an action plan setting out its proposed remedial measures (or alternatively to modify an existing action plan if there is one) within a deadline of between 4 and 12 weeks. Under section 29, if the Scottish Ministers consider the action plan inadequate they may inform the Authority of that fact and their reasons. In that event the Authority must consider whether to revise the action plan.
