7.—(1) As soon as practicable after the end of each of its financial years, the IPCC shall make a report to the Secretary of State on the carrying out of its functions under these Regulations during that year.
(2) The IPCC shall also make such reports to the Secretary of State about matters relating generally to the carrying out of its functions under these Regulations as the Secretary of State may, from time to time, require.
(3) The IPCC may, from time to time, make such other reports to the Secretary of State as it considers appropriate for drawing the Secretary of State’s attention to matters which—
(a)have come to the IPCC’s notice; and
(b)are matters that it considers should be drawn to the Secretary of State’s attention by reason of their gravity or of other exceptional circumstances.
(4) The IPCC shall prepare such reports containing advice and recommendations as it thinks appropriate for the purpose of carrying out its function under regulation 6(1)(e) (general functions of the IPCC).
(5) Where the Secretary of State receives any report under this regulation, the Secretary of State shall—
(a)in the case of every annual report under paragraph (1), and
(b)in the case of any other report, if and to the extent that the Secretary of State considers it appropriate to do so,
lay a copy of the report before Parliament and cause the report to be published.
(6) The IPCC shall send a copy of every report under paragraph (1), (3) and (4) to Secretary of State and the relevant appropriate authority.
(7) The IPCC shall send a copy of every report made or prepared by it under paragraphs (3) or (4) to such of the persons (in addition to those specified in the preceding paragraphs) who—
(a)are referred to in the report, or
(b)appear to the IPCC otherwise to have a particular interest in its contents,
as the IPCC thinks fit.