Merchant Shipping Act 1970

54 Inquiry into fitness or conduct of person other than officer

(1) Where a person has, before the date mentioned in section 53(4) of this Act, required his case to be dealt with by an inquiry under this section the Board of Trade shall cause an inquiry to be held by one or more persons appointed by them

(2) An inquiry under this section shall be conducted in accordance with rules made under section 58(1) of this Act and those rules shall require the persons holding the inquiry to hold it with the assistance of one or more assessors.

(3) The persons holding an inquiry under this section—

(a) may confirm the decision of the Board of Trade and cancel or suspend the certificate accordingly;

(b) may, where the decision was to cancel the certificate, suspend it instead;

(c) may, where the decision was to suspend the certificate,

suspend it for a different period ;

(d) may, instead of confirming the decision of the Board of Trade, censure the holder of the certificate or take no further action;

(e) may make such order with regard to the costs of the inquiry as they think just; and

(f) shall make a report on the case to the Board of Trade;

and if the certificate is cancelled or suspended it shall be delivered forthwith to the persons holding the inquiry or to the Board of Trade.

(4) Any costs which a person is ordered to pay under subsection (3)(e) of this section may be recovered from him by the Board of Trade.