55Expenses of inquiry

55 Expenses of inquiry

55 Expenses of inquiry

(1) Subject to this section, the expenses of and incidental to an inquiry under this Division (including the expenses incurred and payable by the Minister in proceedings brought by the Minister in the name of a loan fund company under section 52 (8)) shall be defrayed out of money provided by Parliament for the purpose.

(2) The Minister may, with respect to an inquiry under this Division, give a direction:

(a) that any loan fund company or specified person concerned in the inquiry, within such period (being not less than 7 days) as is specified in the direction, pay the whole or a specified part of the expenses of and incidental to the inquiry,

(b) where expenses have been defrayed under subsection (1), that any loan fund company or specified person concerned in the inquiry, within such period (being not less than 7 days) as is specified in the direction, pay those expenses or reimburse the Crown to the extent thereof, or

(c) that any loan fund company or specified person concerned in the inquiry, within such period (being not less than 7 days) as is specified in the direction, pay, or reimburse the Crown in respect of, the remuneration of any servant of the Crown concerned with the inquiry,

and serve the direction on that company or person.

(3) If a loan fund company on which or a person on whom a direction has been served under subsection (2) fails to pay the amount specified in the direction within the period so specified, that amount shall be recoverable from that company or person in a court of competent jurisdiction as a debt due to the Crown.