Section 10: The information function
51.Section 10 sets out the third of the Council’s core functions: to facilitate the dissemination of advice and information to consumers about the Council itself and its functions, and about consumer matters. This means that the Council can either disseminate advice and information itself, or alternatively can work in conjunction with another organisation to disseminate the advice or information. The Secretary of State has power by order to add other matters in respect of which the Council is to exercise this function.
52.Subsection (2) gives the Council the power to make available that advice and information in any way it thinks suitable to bring it to the attention of anyone it thinks will have an interest, and also to work with other organisations to make the information available. Under section 20 (described below) the Council is also required to enter into cooperation arrangements with other bodies, including the Office of Fair Trading, the Financial Services Consumer Panel and the OFCOM Consumer Panel .. Such arrangements include those made to secure the coordination of activities relating to the provision of advice or information to consumers (see section 20(2)).
