(1)The Ombudsman may issue to one or more listed authorities such guidance about good administrative practice as the Ombudsman thinks appropriate.
(2)Before issuing guidance under this section the Ombudsman must consult such listed authorities, or persons appearing to the Ombudsman to represent them, as the Ombudsman thinks appropriate.
(3)If guidance issued under this section is applicable to a listed authority, the authority must have regard to the guidance in discharging its functions.
(4)In conducting an investigation in respect of a listed authority, the Ombudsman may have regard to the extent to which the authority has complied with any guidance issued under this section which is applicable to the authority.
(5)The Ombudsman may publish any guidance issued under this section in any manner that the Ombudsman thinks appropriate, including in particular by putting the guidance in an annual or extraordinary report.
(6)Guidance issued under this section may contain different provision for different purposes.
(7)Subject to subsection (8), guidance issued under this section must not—
(a)mention the name of any person other than the listed authorities to which it is applicable or a listed authority which has been investigated under this Part, or
(b)include any particulars which, in the opinion of the Ombudsman, are likely to identify any such person and which, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, can be omitted without impairing the effectiveness of the guidance.
(8)Subsection (7) does not apply if, after taking account of the interests of any persons the Ombudsman thinks appropriate, the Ombudsman considers it to be in the public interest to include that information in the guidance.