Power of Department to hold inquiries
32.—(1) The Department may hold such inquiries as it thinks necessary for the proper exercise of its functions under this Act.
(2) Where, as respects the proposed exercise on any occasion of any of its powers under section 23, 24 or 25, the Department receives a request for an inquiry (made pursuant to section 26(1)) from 2 or more persons, it may hold a single inquiry in response to both or all of those requests.
(3) Subject to any provision made by regulations, any inquiry held by the Department for the purposes of this Act shall be held in public.
(4) Information with respect to any particular trade or business which is given at any such inquiry while admission to the inquiry is restricted in accordance with regulations shall not, so long as that trade or business continues to be carried on, be disclosed except—
(a)with the consent of the person for the time being carrying on that trade or business;
(b)for the purpose of the discharge by any person of that person’s functions under this Act; or
(c)with a view to the institution of, or otherwise for the purposes of, any legal proceedings pursuant to or arising out of this Act, including proceedings before the Upper Tribunal.
(5) Any person who discloses any information in contravention of subsection (4) is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.