Notwithstanding the provisions of this Act, in any case where a member of the Board is engaged in an inquiry under this Act and his term of office is about to expire or has expired, the member may, with the approval of the Minister or Ministers for the time being competent to recommend an appointment to the Board, continue in office until the completion of the inquiry, notwithstanding that in the meantime his successor in office may have been appointed.

The term of office of any such person shall expire when the inquiry has been completed and the Minister who requested the inquiry has notified the Secretary of the Board to that effect.

Except for the purposes of the inquiry in respect of which he was continued in office, any such person shall not be entitled to vote or take part in any discussion on any matter before the Board or be taken into consideration for the purpose of determining a quorum.

In determining the number of members of the Board in office under subsection (2) of section 3 of this Act, no account shall be taken of any person continued in office under this section.

Nothing in this section shall prevent the appointment of any person to the Board as the successor of a member continued in office under this section in any case where the period for which that member was appointed or reappointed has ended.

No acts done as a member of the Board by a person continued in office under this section and no acts done by the Board while any such person continues in office shall be questioned in any proceedings on the ground that the occasion for his continuation in office had not arisen or had ceased.”