4This Part applies if there is a body designated under this Schedule to exercise the assessment functions.
5The Commission may provide funding to the designated body for exercising the assessment functions.
6The Commission must make arrangements for holding the designated body to account for the exercise of the assessment functions.
7(1)As soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each annual reporting period, the designated body must prepare and send to the Commission a report about the exercise of the assessment functions during the period.
(2)“Annual reporting period”, in relation to a designated body, means—
(a)the period of 12 months beginning with the effective date, and
(b)each successive period of 12 months.
8(1)The Commission may give the designated body general directions about the exercise of the assessment functions.
(2)In giving such directions, the Commission must have regard to the need to protect—
(a)the expertise of the designated body, and
(b)the designated body’s ability to make, or make arrangements for, an impartial assessment of the quality of higher education provided by a tertiary education provider.
(3)The directions must relate—
(a)to tertiary education providers in Wales providing higher education or registered providers providing higher education generally, or
(b)a description of such providers.
(4)The designated body must comply with any directions given under this paragraph.
9The Commission must inform the Welsh Ministers if it has significant concerns about—
(a)how the designated body is exercising the assessment functions, or
(b)the continued suitability of the designated body to exercise those functions.