The Local Commissioner in Wales (Standards Investigations) Order 2001

Name, commencement, application and interpretation

1.—(1) The name of this Order is the Local Commissioner in Wales (Standards Investigations) Order 2001 and it shall come into force on 28th July 2001.

(2) This Order applies in Wales only.

(3) In this Order —

• “the 1974 Act” (“Deddf 1974”) means the Local Government Act 1974(1),

• “the 2000 Act” (“Deddf 2000”) means the Local Government Act 2000.

Application of provisions of the 2000 Act

2.  For the purposes of investigations under section 69 of the 2000 Act the provisions of that Act as listed in Schedule 1 to this Order shall apply as if any reference in those provisions to —

(a) an ethical standards officer were a reference to a Local Commissioner in Wales;

(b) the Standards Board for England were a reference to the Commission for Local Administration in Wales;

(c) England were a reference to Wales;

(d) section 59 were a reference to section 69; and

(e) the Secretary of State were a reference to the National Assembly for Wales.

Application of provisions in the 2000 Act with modifications

3.  For the purposes of investigations under section 69 of the 2000 Act the provisions of that Act as listed in Schedule 2 to this Order shall apply subject to the modifications shown in that Schedule.

Application of provisions in the 1974 Act with modifications

4.  For the purposes of investigations under section 69 of the 2000 Act the provisions of the 1974 Act as listed in Schedule 3 to this Order shall apply subject to the modifications shown in that Schedule.

Law of Defamation

5.—(1) For the purposes of the law of defamation, any statement (whether written or oral) made by a designated officer in connection with the exercise of functions under Part III of the 2000 Act shall be absolutely privileged.

(2) “designated officer” in paragraph (1) means any person designated in writing by a Local Commissioner.

Signed on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales under section 66(1) of the Government of Wales Act 1998(2).

D. Elis-Thomas

The Presiding Officer of the National Assembly

21st June 2001