55. 'Public authority'.

In the context of the duty of public authorities to act compatibly with the European Convention on Human Rights1 'public authority' includes a court or tribunal2 and any person certain of whose functions are functions of a public nature3, although where only certain of a body's functions are functions of a public nature, that body is not a public authority in relation to an act if the nature of the act is private4. There are therefore three categories of body for these purposes: standard ('core') public authorities which can never act privately, even in respect of matters governed by