The Secretary of State must issue a document (a “framework document”) that deals with matters relating to the Commissioner.
The matters that may be dealt with by a framework document include (among other things)—
matters relating to governance, funding and staffing;
matters relating to the exercise of functions of the Commissioner;
matters relating to scrutiny of the Commissioner's activities by Parliament or by Senedd Cymru.
The Commissioner must have regard to the framework document when exercising any of the Commissioner's functions.
The Secretary of State must have regard to the framework document when exercising any functions in relation to the Commissioner.
The Secretary of State—
must keep the framework document under review, and
may issue a revised framework document.
The Secretary of State—
must consult the Commissioner in preparing or revising a framework document, and
may not issue a framework document without the agreement of the Commissioner.
The Secretary of State must consult the Welsh Ministers before issuing—
the first framework document under this section, or
any other framework document which is, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, significantly different from the framework document it replaces.
The Secretary of State must—
arrange for any framework document issued under this section to be published in the manner which the Secretary of State considers appropriate,
send a copy of the framework document to the Welsh Ministers, and
lay a copy of the framework document before Parliament.
The Welsh Ministers must lay before Senedd Cymru a copy of any framework document sent to them under subsection (8)(b).