(1)There shall continue to be an officer known as the Official Petitioner for the purpose of discharging, in relation to cases in which a criminal bankruptcy order is made, the functions assigned to him by or under this Act; and the Director of Public Prosecutions shall, by virtue of his office, continue to be the Official Petitioner.
(2)The functions of the Official Petitioner shall include the following functions, namely—
(a)to consider whether, in a case in which a criminal bankruptcy order is made, it is in the public interest that he should himself present a petition under section 119 (1)(d) above;
(b)to present such a petition in any case where he determines it is in the public interest for him to do so ;
(c)to make payments, in such cases as he may determine, towards expenses incurred by other persons in connection with proceedings in pursuance of such a petition ; and
(d)to exercise, so far as he considers it in the public interest to do so, any of the powers conferred on him by or under this Act.
(3)Any functions of the Official Petitioner may be discharged on his behalf by any person acting with his authority.
(4)Neither the Official Petitioner nor any person acting with his authority shall be liable to any action or proceeding in respect of anything done or omitted to be done in the discharge, or purported discharge, of the functions of the Official Petitioner.
(5)In this section " criminal bankruptcy order " means an order under section 39(1) of the [1973 c. 62.] Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973.