7(1)Section 45C (application to Certification Officer or court for declaration of breach of duty to secure positions not held by certain offenders) shall be amended as follows.
(2)In subsection (2) (Certification Officer’s powers and duties) insert before paragraph (a)—
“(aa)shall make such enquiries as he thinks fit,”
(3)In subsection (2)(a) (duty to give opportunity to be heard where Certification Officer considers it appropriate) omit “, where he considers it appropriate,”.
(4)Omit subsections (3) and (4) (different applications in respect of the same matter).
(5)After subsection (5) insert—
“(5A)Where the Certification Officer makes a declaration he shall also, unless he considers that it would be inappropriate, make an order imposing on the trade union a requirement to take within such period as may be specified in the order such steps to remedy the declared failure as may be so specified.
(5B)The following paragraphs have effect if a person applies to the Certification Officer under this section in relation to an alleged failure—
(a)that person may not apply to the court under this section in relation to that failure;
(b)on an application by a different person to the court under this section in relation to that failure, the court shall have due regard to any declaration, order, observations or reasons made or given by the Certification Officer regarding that failure and brought to the court’s notice.
(5C)The following paragraphs have effect if a person applies to the court under this section in relation to an alleged failure—
(a)that person may not apply to the Certification Officer under this section in relation to that failure;
(b)on an application by a different person to the Certification Officer under this section in relation to that failure, the Certification Officer shall have regard to any declaration, order, observations or reasons made or given by the court regarding that failure and brought to the Certification Officer’s notice.”
(6)In subsection (6) (entitlement to enforce order) after “been made” insert “under subsection (5) or (5A)”.
(7)After subsection (6) insert—
“(7)Where the Certification Officer requests a person to furnish information to him in connection with enquiries made by him under this section, he shall specify the date by which that information is to be furnished and, unless he considers that it would be inappropriate to do so, shall proceed with his determination of the application notwithstanding that the information has not been furnished to him by the specified date.
(8)A declaration made by the Certification Officer under this section may be relied on as if it were a declaration made by the court.
(9)An order made by the Certification Officer under this section may be enforced in the same way as an order of the court.”