Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007

40 Review

(1) The Secretary of State shall appoint a person (“the reviewer”) to review—

(a) the operation of sections 21 to 32, and

(b) the procedures adopted by the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland (“GOC”) for receiving, investigating and responding to complaints.

(2) The reviewer shall conduct a review as soon as is reasonably practicable after—

(a) 31st July 2008, and

(b) each subsequent 31st July.

(3) The reviewer shall comply with any request of the Secretary of State to include in a review specified matters (which need not relate to the matters specified in subsection (1)(a) and (b)).

(4) The reviewer shall send the Secretary of State a report of each review.

(5) The Secretary of State shall lay a copy of each report before Parliament.

(6) The reviewer—

(a) shall receive and investigate any representations about the procedures mentioned in subsection (1)(b),

(b) may investigate the operation of those procedures in relation to a particular complaint or class of complaints,

(c) may require GOC to review a particular case or class of cases in which the reviewer considers that any of those procedures have operated inadequately, and

(d) may make recommendations to GOC about inadequacies in those procedures, including inadequacies in the way in which they operate in relation to a particular complaint or class of complaints.

(7) GOC shall—

(a) provide such information,

(b) disclose such documents, and

(c) provide such assistance,

as the Independent Assessor may reasonably require for the purpose of the performance of his functions.

(8) The Secretary of State may pay expenses and allowances to the reviewer, out of money provided by Parliament.