13.— (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (5), the Council shall—

(a) prepare and adopt a statement of strategy for the term of office of the Council (or, as the case requires, the remaining term of office of the Council), and

(b) submit the statement to the Minister—

(i) within 6 months after the commencement of this section,

(ii) within 6 months after the appointment of a new Minister having charge of the Department of Health and Children if that Minister requests that a statement of strategy be submitted,

(iii) within 6 months of the beginning of the term of office of each new Council appointed under section 17.

(2) The Council shall prepare a statement of strategy in a form and manner in accordance with any directions issued by the Minister and shall ensure that the statement specifies—

(a) the key objectives of the Council for the period to which the statement relates and the strategies for achieving those objectives,

(b) the manner in which the Council proposes to measure its achievement of those objectives, and

(c) the uses for which the Council proposes to apply its resources.

(3) The Council shall, in preparing the statement of strategy, have regard to the policies of the Government or a Minister of the Government to the extent that those policies may affect or relate to the functions of the Council.

(4) The Minister may direct the Council to amend a statement of strategy submitted to the Minister if, in the Minister’s opinion, the statement—

(a) does not contain any information required under subsection (2),

(b) does not comply in any other respect with subsection (2), or

(c) has been prepared without regard to the policies referred to in subsection (3).

(5) The Council shall comply with a direction given to it under subsection (4) within the period, if any, specified in the direction, being a period reasonable in the circumstances.

(6) The Council may amend an adopted statement of strategy and, in any such case—

(a) subsections (2) to (5) shall, with all necessary modifications, apply to the preparation of the amended statement as they apply to a statement of strategy prepared under subsection (1), and

(b) the Council shall adopt the amended statement and submit it to the Minister within 3 weeks of the date on which the Council adopted the amended statement.

(7) Nothing in a statement of strategy is to be construed to prevent the Council from, or to limit the Council in, performing its functions.