Part 1: Digital Markets Investigatory powers etc Section 79: Reports by skilled persons
This section gives the CMA the power to require a skilled person, which could be a legal or natural person, to provide a report to it on a matter relevant to the operation of the regime.
	Subsection (1) sets out that the CMA can use this power when exercising, or deciding whether to exercise, any of its digital markets functions. The CMA can only exercise this power in relation to a designated undertaking (and an undertaking subject to existing obligations under section 17(1)) or an undertaking subject to either a breach investigation or an SMS investigation.
	Subsections (2) and (3) set out that the CMA may appoint a skilled person to provide a report. Where it does so, the CMA must give notice of the appointment, and the relevant matters to be included in the report, to the undertaking in question. The CMA may specify the form of the report.
	Subsection (4) specifies that the CMA can make the designated undertaking (and undertaking subject to existing obligations under section 17(1)) or the undertaking subject to either a breach investigation or an SMS investigation liable to pay the skilled person directly for producing the report.
	Subsections (5) and (6) set out that the CMA can also give notice to an undertaking requiring it to appoint a skilled person to produce a report to the CMA. The notice should specify the form of the report, the relevant matters that it must deal with and the date by which it must be provided. The CMA must approve any appointments made by an undertaking, including details of how payment will be made to the skilled person.
	Subsections (7) to (10) state that the payment due to the skilled person from an undertaking under subsection (4) and subsection (6), paragraph (b) can be recovered through the courts.
	Subsection (11) provides that the CMA must be satisfied that the skilled person has the necessary skills to report on the relevant matters. This could include an external third party with relevant expertise, such as an accounting firm, management consultancy or an individual with technical expertise such as a software engineer.
	Subsection (12) imposes a duty on the designated undertaking (and undertaking subject to existing obligations under section 17(1)) or undertaking subject to either a breach investigation or an SMS investigation, and any person connected to those undertakings, to assist the skilled person in any way reasonably required to prepare the report. Section 118(3) defines how a person can be connected to an undertaking. If an undertaking or connected person fails to comply with this duty, the CMA may impose a penalty in accordance with section 87 of the enforcement provisions under this Part of the Act.
	Subsection (13) specifies that the duty to assist a skilled person in subsection (12) does not include giving access to individuals, premises, equipment or individuals outside the United Kingdom. However, subsection (14) clarifies that the skilled person can require access to information and services within and outside the United Kingdom.