Exercise of functions before appointment of first First Minister
23(1)This paragraph and paragraph 24 have effect during the initial period.
(2)The functions of the Assembly constituted by the Government of Wales Act 1998, other than functions to which paragraph 24 applies, are exercisable—
(a)by the person who immediately before the beginning of the initial period held office as the Assembly First Secretary, if that person is a member of that Assembly, or
(b)by such of the persons who at that time held office as an Assembly Secretary and are members of that Assembly as those persons may designate, if that person is not a member of that Assembly (or if the office of Assembly First Secretary was vacant at that time).
(3)A person designated for the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(b) must inform the Secretary of State of the designation as soon as is reasonably practicable.
(4)Functions which are exercisable by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) may be delegated by the person by whom they are exercisable (to such extent as that person may determine) to any other member of the Assembly constituted by the Government of Wales Act 1998 who immediately before the beginning of the initial period held office as an Assembly Secretary.
(5)Functions which—
(a)are exercisable by virtue of sub-paragraph (2), or
(b)are delegated under sub-paragraph (4),
may be delegated by the person by whom they are exercisable or to whom they have been delegated (to such extent as that person may determine) to members of the staff of the Assembly constituted by the Government of Wales Act 1998 (c. 38).
(6)Where a function is delegated under sub-paragraph (5), arrangements for the exercise of the function are to be made by the person who, immediately before the beginning of the initial period, was the Permanent Secretary to the Assembly for the purposes of section 63(2) of the Government of Wales Act 1998.
(7)The delegation of any function under this paragraph does not prevent the exercise of the function by the person by whom the delegation is made.
(8)The exercise of any function in accordance with this paragraph is subject to any condition, limitation or restriction which applied to the exercise of that function immediately before the beginning of the initial period.