Part 1THE CONSUMER ADVOCACY BODIES

Information

24 Provision of information to F1the consumer advocacy bodies

(1)

F2A consumer advocacy body may, by notice, require a person within subsection (3) to supply it with such information as is specified or described in the notice within such reasonable period as is so specified.

(2)

F3 In the case of the GCCNI, the information specified or described in a notice under subsection (1) must be information F4 the GCCNI requires for the purpose of exercising its functions.

F5(2A)

In the case of Citizens AdviceF6, Citizens Advice Scotland or Consumer Scotland, the information specified or described in a notice under subsection (1) must be information it requires—

(a)

for the purpose of exercising a function conferred on it by or under an enactment, or

(b)

for the purpose of exercising a function it has that—

(i)

is not conferred by or under an enactment, and

(ii)

corresponds to a function conferred on the GCCNI under section 8, 9, 10, 11 or 19, disregarding for these purposes the limitations relating to postal services in Northern Ireland in sections 1(4) and 11(1).

(2B)

For the purposes of subsection (2A) “enactment” means an Act, an Act of the Scottish Parliament, a measure or Act of the National Assembly for Wales or Northern Ireland legislation.

(3)

The persons referred to in subsection (1) are—

(a)

the F7Competition and Markets Authority;

(b)

a designated regulator;

(c)

any person who supplies goods or services in the course of a business carried on by that person;

(d)

any other person specified or of a description specified by the Secretary of State by order for the purposes of this subsection.

(4)

A notice under subsection (1) may specify the manner and form in which any information is to be provided.

(5)

Before giving a notice under subsection (1), or specifying the manner or form in which any information is to be provided, F8a consumer advocacy body must have regard to the desirability of minimising the costs, or any other detriment, to the person to whom the notice is to be given.

(6)

If a person within subsection (3)(a) or (b) fails to comply with a notice under subsection (1), the person must, if so required by F9the consumer advocacy body in question, give notice to F10that body of the reasons for the failure.

(7)

An order under subsection (3)(d) may provide either—

(a)

that subsection (6) is to apply in relation to a person specified or of a description specified by the order as it applies to a person within subsection (3)(a) or (b), or

(b)

that section 26 is to apply in relation to such a person.

(8)

F11A consumer advocacy body may publish any notice received under subsection (6).

F12(8A)

Information provided to a consumer advocacy body because of a notice under subsection (1) may be provided by that body to the other consumer advocacy bodies.

(9)

In this section—

“ designated regulator ” means—

(a)

the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority;

(b)

F13the Office of Communications;

(c)

the Water Services Regulation Authority;

(d)

F14the Water Industry Commission for Scotland;

(e)

any other person prescribed by the Secretary of State by order for the purposes of this subsection;

“ goods ” includes land or an interest in land.