Standards in Public Office Act 2001

Discovery of documents.

18

18.—(1) The chairman of a Committee may for the purposes of the functions of the Committee and the chairperson of the Commission may for the purposes of the functions of the Commission direct in writing any person to make discovery on oath of any documents that are or have been in the possession or control of the person relating to any matter relevant to the functions of the Committee or, as the case may be, the Commission and to specify in the affidavit of documents concerned any documents mentioned therein which the person objects to produce to the Committee or, as the case may be, the Commission and the grounds for the objection; and the rules of court relating to the discovery of documents in proceedings in the High Court shall apply in relation to the discovery of documents pursuant to this subsection with any necessary modifications.

(2) Where a person, in relation to the discovery of documents pursuant to subsection (1), contravenes a rule of court referred to in that subsection, the High Court may, on application to it in that behalf in a summary manner by the chairman of the Committee concerned or, as the case may be, the chairperson of the Commission, order the person to comply with the rule and make such other (if any) order as it considers necessary and just.