Civil Aviation Act 1971

5 Special provisions as respects certain functions

(1) Such functions of the Authority as may be prescribed for the purposes of this subsection shall not be performed on behalf of the Authority by any other person; and regulations may provide that for the purpose of performing a function prescribed in pursuance of this subsection the quorum of the Authority shall be such as may be prescribed.

(2) Regulations may provide for regulating the conduct of the Authority and other persons, including the procedure to be fallowed by them, in connection with the performance by the Authority of such of its functions as may be prescribed for the purposes of this subsection; and, without prejudice to the generality of the preceding provisions of this subsection, regulations made in pursuance of this subsection may include provision—

(a) requiring or entitling the Authority, notwithstanding any rule of law, to withhold from any person (hereafter in this paragraph referred to as " the prospective recipient") information which is furnished to the Authority by another person in connection with any function so prescribed and which in the opinion of the Authority relates to the commercial or financial affairs of the other person and cannot be disclosed to the prospective recipient without disadvantage to the other person which, by comparison with the advantage to the public and the prospective recipient of its disclosure to him, is unwarranted;

(b) for the imposition on summary conviction of a fine of an amount not exceeding £100 for any contravention of the regulations.

(3) The [1971 c. 62.] Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1971 shall have effect as if—

(a) the Authority were a tribunal specified in Part I of Schedule 1 to that Act (which lists .the tribunals of which among other things the workings and constitutions are to be kept under review and reported on by the Council on Tribunals) ; and

(b) section 8 of that Act (under which certain consents are required for the removal of members of tribunals) did not apply to the Authority ; and

(c) the functions of the Authority were confined to those prescribed for the purposes of the preceding subsection.