1General powers of Secretary of State
(1)The Secretary of State shall have power to acquire, produce or process articles required for the public service or articles to be exchanged for such articles; to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of any such articles or any government surplus materials; to store and transport any such articles and materials; and to do all such things (including the erection of buildings and the execution of works) as appear to the Secretary of State necessary or expedient for the exercise of the foregoing powers.
(2)Without prejudice to his powers of inspection under subsection (1) above, the Secretary of State may, at the request of the parties concerned, carry out or supervise the carrying out of any inspection for the purposes of or in connection with the production of any articles where the inspection can conveniently be carried out or supervised by him in connection with the exercise of his functions.