Public health investigations
Section 20 Public health incidents
40.A public health incident exists if one or more of the circumstances described in subsections (2) to (6) occurs; and there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the circumstance is likely to give rise to a significant risk to public health.
Section 21 Public health investigations
41.This section states what a public health investigation is and outlines who may carry out such an investigation. Subsection (2) provides that the Scottish Ministers, a health board competent person, the Common Services Agency, (d)a local authority competent person, or two or more of these acting together, may appoint a person to carry out a public health investigation. In this Part, that person is referred to as an “investigator”. A health board competent person or a local authority competent person may be appointed as an investigator. Subsection (4) enables the investigator to exercise the powers relating to entry to premises in section 22, other investigatory powers in section 23, and powers relating to questioning in section 24.
