{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/public-health-etc-scotland-act-2008/section-21",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/public-health-etc-scotland-act-2008/section-21.json",
  "legislation": "asp/2008/5",
  "legislation_title": "Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/public-health-etc-scotland-act-2008",
  "path": "section/21",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "21",
  "heading": "Public health investigations",
  "text": "(1) In this Part, a “public health investigation” means an investigation into the cause (or causes) of a public health incident.\n(2) A public health investigation may be carried out by a person appointed for the purpose by—\n(a) the Scottish Ministers;\n(b) a health board competent person;\n(c) the common services agency;\n(ca) Public Health Scotland;\n(d) a local authority competent person;\n(e) two or more of the persons mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (d) acting together,\nand, in this Part, that person is known as an “investigator”.\n(3) Despite subsection (2)(b) and (d), a health board competent person or a local authority competent person may be appointed as an investigator.\n(4) If an investigator considers it necessary for the purpose of, or in connection with, a public health investigation, the investigator may, subject to section 25(1), exercise—\n(a) the powers relating to entry to premises mentioned in section 22;\n(b) the other investigatory powers mentioned in section 23; and\n(c) the power to ask questions mentioned in section 24.",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 21(2)(ca) inserted (1.4.2020) by The Public Health Scotland Order 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/336), art. 1(3)(b), sch. 2 para. 6(4) (with art. 4(4)(5))"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 21 in force at 1.10.2009 by S.S.I. 2009/319, art. 2(a), Sch. 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2008/5/section/21",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:15:45.653037+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}