(1)The Secretary of State shall appoint officers, to be known as “social fund officers”, for the purpose of performing functions in relation to payments out of the social fund such as are mentioned in section 138(1)(b) of the Contributions and Benefits Act.
(2)A social fund officer may be appointed to perform all the functions of social fund officers or such functions of such officers as may be specified in his instrument of appointment.
(3)The Secretary of State may nominate for an area a social fund officer who shall issue general guidance to the other social fund officers in the area about such matters relating to the social fund as the Secretary of State may specify.