Section 128 — Investigations relating to Wales and Northern Ireland

(1) The HSSIB may enter into an agreement with any person for the HSSIB to carry out an investigation falling within subsection (2).

(2) An investigation falls within this subsection if—

(a) it is an investigation into one or more incidents that have occurred, or are occurring, in the United Kingdom—

(i) during the provision of any of the services mentioned in subsection (3), or

(ii) at premises at which any of those services are, or were, provided,

(b) the incident or incidents have or may have implications for the safety of persons for whom those services are provided,

(c) the investigation is carried out for the purpose of identifying risks to the safety of such persons and addressing those risks by facilitating the improvement of systems and practices in the provision of any of the services mentioned in subsection (3), and

(d) the investigation does not involve the assessment or determination of blame or civil or criminal liability.

(3) The services referred to in subsection (2) are—

(a) services provided for the purposes of the health service continued under section 1(1) of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006, and

(b) health care, within the meaning of the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009, provided for the purposes of the system promoted under section 2(1) of that Act.

(4) The HSSIB may impose charges for providing services under an agreement under subsection (1).

(5) Those charges must not exceed the costs incurred by the HSSIB in providing the services.

(6) The HSSIB may enter into an agreement under subsection (1) only if it considers that the provision of the services under the agreement will not to any significant extent interfere with the exercise by the HSSIB of its investigation function.