Commentary Part 8 – Inspections Schedule 12, Part 2 – Inspectors etc. acting on behalf of Chief Inspector
542.Paragraph 9 re-enacts paragraph 5 of Schedule 1 to the 2005 Act. It has the effect that, subject to the following exceptions, any of the functions of the Chief Inspector under this Act or any other Act may be fulfilled by: any HMI; any other member of the staff of the Office; or any additional inspector (see paragraphs 11 and 12 in relation to additional inspectors). The exceptions are that a report concluding that special measures are required must be personally authorised by the Chief Inspector or an HMI specifically authorised to do so (sub-paragraph (3)) and that an additional inspector cannot conduct an inspection under section 5 of the 2005 Act unsupervised by an HMI unless he has previously conducted such an inspection to the satisfaction of an HMI (paragraph 11(4)).
543.Paragraph 10 requires the Chief Inspector to ensure that any HMI, member of staff of the office or an additional inspector carrying out any of the activities within the Chief Inspector’s remit has the necessary qualifications, experience and skills
544.Paragraph 11 gives the Chief Inspector the ability to arrange for inspectors to assist the Chief Inspector to fulfil his functions. Such inspectors will be engaged either directly or through an inspection service provider, and will be known as additional inspectors.
545.Paragraph 12 sets out provisions relating to the use of inspection service providers. When engaging additional inspectors through an inspection service provider, the Chief Inspector must publish a statement of the qualifications and/or experience, standards and skills which additional inspectors are required to have. He must also publish a list of names given to him by the inspection service provider of persons who may be used in future as additional inspectors. The Chief Inspector must ensure that any arrangements he makes with inspection service providers require them to ensure that additional inspectors meet the published requirements.