Part 2: The Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse Section 25: Powers of the Commissioner
This gives the Commissioner powers to do a number of things to help them fulfil an advocacy role for HIA victims and survivors. These powers enable the Commissioner to carry out a wide range of activities, including being able to influence the actions of many organisations and individuals that affect HIA victims and survivors' lives in many different ways.
	The general powers include:
	the power to undertake research, compile information, and provide advice on matters concerning the interests of HIA victims and survivors;
	the power to publish matters relating to their interests, including the outcome of any research and any advice provided by the Commissioner;
	the power to make representations or recommendations to any persons about matters concerning the interests of HIA victims and survivors. It is envisioned that this power will enable the Commissioner to make recommendations to the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority ("RQIA") and Northern Ireland Social Care Council ("NISCC") as recommended by Hart, as well as any other relevant body. The Inquiry Report recommended that the RQIA and NISCC in particular should have regard to any recommendations made to them, by the Commissioner, about practice issues relating to residential care. It is considered that it would be reasonable, in accordance with the usual principles of administrative law, to expect bodies involved with regulating residential care to have regard to recommendations made by the Commissioner (or any other expert body) and it is unnecessary to explicitly set this out in statute.