PART 2

THE WELSH LANGUAGE COMMISSIONER

Functions

Inquiries
7
1
The Commissioner may conduct an inquiry into any matter relating to any of the Commissioner’s functions.
2
But that is subject to subsections (3) to (5).
3
Subsection (1) does not authorise the Commissioner to conduct an inquiry in a case where he or she—
a
may or must carry out a standards investigation under Chapter 8 of Part 4, or
b
undertakes (and does not discontinue) an investigation under Part 5.
4
Subsection (1) does not authorise the Commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the failure, by one or more particular persons, to comply with one or more relevant requirements.
5
Subsection (1) does not authorise the Commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the interference, by one or more particular persons, with the freedom to communicate in Welsh (but see Part 6 for power to investigate certain interference with that freedom).
6
Subsection (4) or (5) does not prevent the Commissioner from taking the conduct of one or more particular persons into account when conducting an inquiry into—
a
failure to comply with relevant requirements, or
b
interference with the freedom to communicate in Welsh.
7
The Commissioner may—
a
discontinue, or
b
suspend,
the conduct of an inquiry or any aspect of an inquiry.
8
If, in the course of an inquiry, the Commissioner begins to suspect that a person may have failed to comply with one or more relevant requirements—
a
in continuing the inquiry the Commissioner must, so far as possible, avoid further consideration of whether or not the person has failed to comply with the requirements,
b
the Commissioner may commence an investigation into that question under Part 5, and
c
the Commissioner may use information or evidence acquired in the course of the inquiry for the purpose of the investigation.
9
Schedule 2 makes supplemental provision about inquiries.
10
In this section, a reference to failure to comply with one or more relevant requirements has the same meaning as in Part 5.