Charities Act 1992

6 General power to institute inquiries

(1) Section 6 of the 1960 Act (general power to institute inquiries) shall be amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (3)—

(a) for the words from “may by order” to “require” there shall be substituted “, or a person appointed by them to conduct it, may direct”; and

(b) for paragraph (b) there shall be substituted—

“(b) to furnish copies of documents in his custody or under his control which relate to any matter in question at the inquiry, and to verify any such copies by statutory declaration;

(c) to attend at a specified time and place and give evidence or produce any such documents.”

(3) In subsection (5), for “an order or precept under paragraph (b)” there shall be substituted “a direction under paragraph (c)”.

(4) Subsection (6) (exemption for person claiming to hold property adversely to a charity) shall be omitted.

(5) For subsection (7) there shall be substituted—

“(7) Where an inquiry has been held under this section, the Commissioners may either—

(a) cause the report of the person conducting the inquiry, or such other statement of the results of the inquiry as they think fit, to be printed and published, or

(b) publish any such report or statement in some other way which is calculated in their opinion to bring it to the attention of persons who may wish to make representations to them about the action to be taken.”

(6) Subsection (9) (which is superseded by section 54(2) below) shall be omitted.