(1) Notwithstanding subsections (3), (4), (4A), (4B) and (4C) of section 4, where the Standards in Public Office Commission reasonably believes that a person may have committed or may be committing a contravention of Parts IV, V, VI, IX or X, the Standards in Public Office Commission may direct the carrying out of an investigation by an authorised officer under this section.

(2) The Standards in Public Office Commission may appoint such and so many persons as it may determine (each of whom is referred to in this section as an 'authorised officer') to carry out investigations under this section.

(3) The Standards in Public Office Commission shall furnish an authorised officer with an authorisation and, when carrying out an investigation under this section, an authorised officer shall, if requested to do so by any person affected by the investigation, produce to the person the authorisation or a copy of it together with a form of personal identification.

(4) An authorised officer may, for the purposes of carrying out an investigation under this section -

(a) require any person to provide any information or explanation which the authorised officer may reasonably require for the purposes of the investigation,