Part 6Legal Complaints
Information
147Information and documents
1
An ombudsman may, by notice, require a party to a complaint under the ombudsman scheme—
a
to produce documents, or documents of a description, specified in the notice, or
b
to provide information, or information of a description, specified in the notice.
2
A notice under subsection (1) may require the information or documents to be provided or produced—
a
before the end of such reasonable period as may be specified in the notice, and
b
in the case of information, in such manner or form as may be so specified.
3
This section applies only to information and documents the provision or production of which the ombudsman considers necessary for the determination of the complaint.
4
An ombudsman may—
a
take copies of or extracts from a document produced under this section, and
b
require the person producing the document to provide an explanation of it.
5
If a person who is required under this section to produce a document fails to do so, an ombudsman may require that person to state, to the best of that person’s knowledge and belief, where the document is.
6
No person may be required under this section—
a
to provide any information which that person could not be compelled to provide or give in evidence in civil proceedings before the High Court, or
b
to produce any document which that person could not be compelled to produce in such proceedings.
7
In this section “party”, in relation to a complaint, means—
a
the complainant;
b
the respondent;
c
any other person who in accordance with the scheme rules is to be regarded as a party to the complaint.