Civil Contingencies Act 2004

4 Advice and assistance to the public

(1) A body specified in paragraph 1, 2 or 13 of Schedule 1 shall provide advice and assistance to the public in connection with the making of arrangements for the continuance of commercial activities by the public, or the continuance of the activities of bodies other than public or local authorities whose activities are not carried on for profit, in the event of an emergency.

(2) A Minister of the Crown may, in relation to a body specified in paragraph 1 or 2 of that Schedule, make regulations about—

(a) the extent of the duty under subsection (1);

(b) the manner in which the duty under subsection (1) is to be performed.

(3) The Scottish Ministers may, in relation to a body specified in paragraph 13 of that Schedule, make regulations about—

(a) the extent of the duty under subsection (1);

(b) the manner in which the duty under subsection (1) is to be performed.

(4) Regulations under subsection (2) or (3) may, in particular—

(a) permit a body to make a charge for advice or assistance provided on request under subsection (1);

(b) make provision of a kind permitted to be made by regulations under section 2(5)(a) to (i) and (o) to (s).

(5) Regulations by virtue of subsection (4)(a) must provide that a charge for advice or assistance may not exceed the aggregate of—

(a) the direct costs of providing the advice or assistance, and

(b) a reasonable share of any costs indirectly related to the provision of the advice or assistance.

(6) A Minister of the Crown may issue guidance to a body specified in paragraph 1 or 2 of that Schedule about the matters specified in subsections (2) and (4).

(7) The Scottish Ministers may issue guidance to a body specified in paragraph 13 of that Schedule about the matters specified in subsections (3) and (4).

(8) A body shall—

(a) comply with regulations under subsection (2) or (3), and

(b) have regard to guidance under subsection (6) or (7).