Water Services Act 2007

Transfer or extension of functions.

27.— (1) Subject to subsection (2), and provided that the Minister is satisfied that democratic accountability for the function concerned will be ensured, where the Minister is satisfied that—

(a) any function conferred on a water services authority by this Act could be effectively performed in lieu or in addition by the Minister, or other prescribed person,

(b) any function conferred on the Minister could be performed in lieu or in addition by a water services authority or other prescribed person,

the Minister may prescribe that the Minister, a water services authority or other person prescribed may perform the function with effect from a prescribed date.

(2) The Minister shall consult with the water services authority and any person prescribed for the purposes of this section before he or she makes regulations under subsection (1).

(3) Whenever regulations under subsection (1) are in operation in relation to a particular function, a reference in this Act or any other enactment to a water services authority shall, where appropriate, be construed as a reference to the Minister, or the person prescribed, as the case may be, and the function to which the regulations relate shall be a function of the Minister, or the person prescribed, as the case may be.

(4) Whenever regulations under subsection (1) are in operation in relation to a particular function, a reference in this Act, or any other enactment, to the Minister, shall, where appropriate, be construed as a reference to a water services authority, or other prescribed person, and the function to which the regulations relate shall be a function of the water services authority, or the person prescribed, as the case may be.