Gas Act 1972

• (2) Different prices may be fixed under this paragraph in different classes of cases which may be defined by reference to areas, tariffs applicable to gas supplied by the Corporation, or any other relevant circumstances,

• (3) If any person resells any gas supplied by the Corporation at a price exceeding the maximum price fixed under this paragraph and applicable thereto, the amount of the excess shall be recoverable by the person to whom the gas was resold in any court of competent jurisdiction, and in England and Wales shall be so recoverable as a simple contract debt.

Recovery of gas charges, etc.

Recovery of charges.

13

Any charges due to the Corporation in respect of the supply of gas, and any charges due to the Corporation in respect of the supplying and fixing of any meter or fittings, shall be recoverable by the Corporation in any court of competent jurisdiction, and in England and Wales shall be so recoverable as a simple contract debt.

New occupier not to be liable for arrears.

14

If the occupier of any premises, being premises supplied with gas by the Corporation, quits the premises without paying any amount due from him in respect of charges in respect of the supply, the Corporation shall not be entitled to require from the next occupier of the premises the payment of the amount due, unless that occupier has undertaken with the former occupier to pay or exonerate him for the payment of that amount.

Liability of occupier on quitting premises.

15

• (1) If the occupier of any premises, being premises supplied with gas by meter by the Corporation, quits the premises without giving notice thereof in writing to the Corporation so that it is received by the Corporation at least twenty-four hours before he quits the premises, he shall be liable to pay to the Corporation all charges in respect of the supply of gas to the premises accruing due up to the next date on which the register of the meter on the premises is usually ascertained, or the date from which any subsequent occupier of the premises requires the Corporation to supply gas to the premises, whichever first occurs.

• (2) Sub-paragraph (1) above, or a statement of the effect thereof, shall be endorsed upon every demand note for gas charges payable to the Corporation.

Refusal of supply to person in default.

16

If a person requiring a supply of gas from the Corporation has previously quitted premises at which gas was supplied to him by the Corporation without paying all money due from him by way of charges in respect of the supply of gas to those premises, the Corporation may refuse to furnish him with a supply of gas until he pays the money so due.

Power to cut off supply in case of default.

17

• (1) If any person has not, after the expiry of twenty-eight days from the making of a demand in writing by the Corporation for payment thereof, paid the charges due from him in respect of the supply of gas by them to any premises, the Corporation, after the expiration of not less than seven days' notice in writing of their intention, may cut off the supply from the premises by disconnecting the service pipe at the meter (whether the pipe belongs to the Corporation or not) or by such other means as they think fit, and any expense incurred in cutting off the supply shall be recoverable in like manner as charges for gas.

• (2) Where the Corporation have cut off the supply of gas from any premises in consequence of any default on the part of the occupier thereof, the Corporation shall not be under any obligation to resume the supply of gas to the occupier so in default until he has made good the default and paid the reasonable expenses of re-connecting the supply, but subject as aforesaid, nothing in this paragraph shall prejudice or interfere with any rights conferred on any person by paragraph 2 of this Schedule.

Use of antifluctuators and valves

Antifluctuators and valves.

18

• (1) Where a consumer of gas supplied by the Corporation uses the gas for working or supplying an engine, gas compressor or other similar apparatus or any apparatus liable to produce in any main of the Corporation a pressure less than atmospheric pressure (any such engine, compressor or apparatus being hereafter in this paragraph referred to as a "compressor"), he shall, if so required by the Corporation by notice in writing, fix in a suitable position and keep in use an appliance provided by him which will effectually prevent pressure fluctuation in the supply mains and any other inconvenience or danger being caused to other consumers of gas by reason that they and the first-mentioned consumer are supplied with gas from the same source.

• (2) Where a consumer of gas supplied by the Corporation uses for or in connection with the consumption of the gas so supplied any air at high pressure (in this paragraph referred to as "compressed air") or any gas not supplied by the Corporation (in this paragraph referred to as " extraneous gas "), he shall, if so required by the Corporation by notice in writing, fix in a suitable position and keep in use an appliance provided by him which will effectually prevent the admission of the compressed air or extraneous gas into the service pipe or into any main through which gas is supplied by the Corporation.

• (3) Where a consumer is required by this paragraph to keep in use any appliance, he shall at his own expense keep it in proper order and repair, and repair, renew or replace it if it is not in proper order or repair.

• (4) It shall not be lawful for a consumer of gas supplied by the Corporation to use a compressor, or any apparatus for using compressed air or extraneous gas, unless he has given to the Corporation not less than fourteen days' notice in writing of his intention to do so:

Provided that this sub-paragraph shall not apply to the use of any compressor or apparatus which was lawfully in use immediately before the appointed day.

• (5) If a consumer makes default in complying with any provision of this paragraph, the Corporation may cut off the supply of gas to him and shall not be required to resume the supply until the default has been remedied to their reasonable satisfaction.

• (6) The Corporation shall, as soon as is practicable after any person first becomes a consumer of gas supplied by them, give to that person notice in writing of the effect of the preceding provisions of this paragraph:

Provided that this requirement shall not apply in the case of any person who is a consumer of gas immediately before the appointed day, and to whom a notice has been given before that day pursuant to paragraph 27(6) of Schedule 3 to the Gas Act 1948 (which imposes a similar requirement).

• (7) The Corporation shall have access at all reasonable times to any premises supplied by them with gas upon which the Corporation have reason to believe that a compressor or compressed air or extraneous gas is being used, in order to ascertain whether the provisions of this paragraph are being complied with.

• (8) The Corporation shall have power to disconnect, remove, test and replace any appliance which a consumer of gas supplied by them is required by this paragraph to keep in use, and any expenses incurred by the Corporation under this sub-paragraph shall, if the appliance is found in proper order and repair, be paid by the Corporation but otherwise shall be paid by the consumer.

Penalties

Improper use of gas.

19

If any person supplied with gas by the Corporation improperly uses or deals with the gas so as to interfere with the efficient supply of gas by the Corporation to any consumer, the Corporation may. if they think fit, cease to supply gas to that person.

Injury to pipes and fittings and interference with meters.

20

• (1) If any person wilfully, fraudulently. or by culpable negligence, injures or suffers to be injured any pipes, meter or fittings belonging to the Corporation, or alters the index to any meter, or prevents any meter from duly registering the quantity of gas supplied, he shall (without prejudice to any other right or remedy for the protection of the Corporation or the punishment of the offender) be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100.

• (2) The prosecution of any such offence shall not prevent the Corporation from recovering the amount of any damage caused to them by the offence, and, if the offence involves any injury to or interference with any pipes, meter or fittings belonging to the Corporation, the Corporation may also, until the matter has been remedied, but no longer, discontinue the supply of gas to the person so offending (notwithstanding any contract previously existing).

• (3) The existence of artificial means for causing an alteration of the index to any meter or the prevention of any meter from duly registering, when the meter is under the custody or control of the consumer, shall be prima facie evidence that the alteration or prevention, as the case may be, has been fraudulently and wilfully caused by the consumer using the meter.

Restoration of supply without consent.

21

If any person, without the consent of the Corporation, restores to any premises a supply of gas which has been cut off by them otherwise than in the exercise of a power conferred by regulations made under section 31 of this Act, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100 and the Corporation may again cut off the supply.

Notice of connection or disconnection of service pipe.

22

No person shall connect any meter with a service pipe through which gas is supplied by the Corporation, or disconnect any meter from any such pipe, unless he has given to the Corporation, so that it is received by them at least twenty-four hours before he does so, notice in writing of his intention to do so, specifying the time and place of the proposed connection or disconnection ; and if any person acts in contravention of this provision, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £10.

Escape of gas.

23

Where any gas escapes from any pipe of the Corporation, they shall, immediately after receiving notice of the escape in writing, prevent the gas from escaping; and if the Corporation fail within twenty-four hours from the service of the notice effectually to prevent the gas from escaping, they shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100:

Rights of entry

Entry for purposes of inspection.

24

• (1) Any officer authorised by the Corporation may at all reasonable times, on the production of some duly authenticated document showing his authority, enter any premises in which there is a service pipe connected with the gas mains of the Corporation in order to inspect the meters, fittings and works for the supply of gas, or for the purpose of ascertaining the quantity of gas consumed or supplied, except in a case where the occupier of the premises has applied in writing to the Corporation for the disconnection of the service pipe from the mains and the Corporation have failed to disconnect it within a reasonable time.

• (2) The said powers of inspection shall, in relation to any premises or part of any premises which are or is wholly occupied as a factory within the meaning of the Factories Act 1961, extend only to the inspection of—

• (a) such of the meters on the premises, or on that part of the premises as the case may be, as are used by the Corporation for measuring gas supplied by them, and

• (b) the pipes and other fittings or works by which those meters are connected with the gas mains of the Corporation.

Entry for purposes of removing pipes etc. on discontinue of supply.

25

• (1) Where—

• (a) a person occupying premises supplied with gas by the Corporation ceases to require such a supply, or

• (b) a person entering into occupation of any premises previously supplied with gas by the Corporation does not take a supply of gas from the Corporation or hire such of the pipes, meters, fittings or apparatus on the premises as belong to the Corporation, or

• (c) the Corporation are authorised to cut off the supply of gas from any premises otherwise than by virtue of any regulations made under section 31 of this Act,

it shall be lawful for an officer authorised by the Corporation, after twenty-four hours' notice to the occupier under the hand of an officer so authorised, or to the owner or lessee of the premises if they are unoccupied, to enter the premises at all reasonable times for the purpose of removing and to remove any pipes, meters, fittings or apparatus through which the supply was given to the premises.

• (2) The notice required to be given by sub-paragraph (1) above may, in the case of unoccupied premises the owner or lessee of which is unknown to the Corporation and cannot be ascertained after diligent inquiry, be given by affixing it upon a conspicuous part of the premises not less than forty-eight hours before the premises are entered.

• (3) Where the Corporation have reasonable cause to suspect that gas is escaping, or may escape, in any premises, it shall be lawful for an officer authorised by them to enter the premises for the purpose of inspecting the gas fittings and preventing the escape, and to inspect the fittings, carry out any work necessary to prevent the escape, and take any other steps necessary to avert danger to life or property; and where the Corporation have reasonable cause to suspect that gas which has escaped has entered, or may enter, any premises, it shall be lawful for such an officer to enter those premises also and to take any steps necessary to avert danger to life or property.

Premises to be left secure, and damage to be made good.

26

Where, in pursuance of any powers conferred by this Schedule or by regulations made under section 31 of this Act, entry is made on any premises by an officer of the Corporation, the officer shall ensure that the premises are not left less secure by reason of the entry ; and the Corporation shall make good, or pay compensation for, any damage caused by the officer or by any person accompanying him in entering the premises, in taking any action therein authorised by this Schedule or the said regulations, or in making the premises secure.

Penalty for obstruction.

27

If any person wilfully obstructs any officer exercising powers under paragraphs 24 to 26 above or under any regulations made under section 31 of this Act, or any other power of entry conferred by this Schedule, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50 if it is his first conviction of an offence under this paragraph or, in any other case, a fine not exceeding £100.

Applications of Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Broads) Act 1954.

28

The provisions of this Schedule and any regulations under section 31 of this Act conferring powers of entry or otherwise relating thereto shall have effect subject to the provisions of the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954 as amended by paragraph 5 of Schedule 6 to this Act.

General

Gas fittings not to be subject to distress.

29

• (1) Any gas fittings let for hire by the Corporation and marked or impressed with a sufficient mark or brand indicating the Corporation as the owner thereof—

• (a) shall not be subject to distress or to the landlord's remedy for rent, or be liable to be taken in execution under process of any court or any proceedings in bankruptcy against the person in whose possession they may be, and

• (b) shall not be deemed to be landlord's fixtures, notwithstanding that they may be fixed or fastened to any part of the premises in which they may be situated.

• (2) In the application of sub-paragraph (1)(a) above to Scotland, for the word " distress " and the words " in bankruptcy against" there shall be substituted respectively the word " poinding " and the words " for the sequestration of the estate of ".

Provisions as to security.

30

• (1) Where any security is required by the provisions of this Schedule to be given to the Corporation, the security may be by way of deposit or otherwise, and of such amount as the person required to give the security and the Corporation may agree on or as, in default of such agreement, may be determined by arbitration.

• (2) Where any money is deposited with the Corporation by way of such security as aforesaid, the Corporation shall pay interest at such rate as may from time to time be fixed by order of the Secretary of State made with the approval of the Treasury, on every sum of 50p so deposited for every six months during which it remains in the hands of the Corporation.

Arbitration.

31

Where under any provision in this Schedule the determination of any question is referred to arbitration, the reference shall be to a single arbitrator (or, in Scotland, arbiter) to be appointed by agreement between the parties or, in default of agreement, by the Secretary of State.

Copies of enactments to be available for inspection.

32

The Corporation shall keep in their principal office copies of all local enactments which apply to the Corporation, and at such other places as they may determine copies of such of those enactments as they consider appropriate, and the enactments kept by the Corporation pursuant to this paragraph shall be available for public inspection at all reasonable hours, and any person shall be entitled during those hours to take copies thereof and extracts therefrom.

Nuisance.

33

Nothing in this Act shall exonerate the Corporation from any proceedings for any nuisance caused by them.

Saving for Coast Protection Act 1949.

34

Nothing in this Act shall affect the application to any operation of sections 34 to 36 of the Coast Protection Act 1949 (restriction of works detrimental to navigation).

Justices and judges not to be disqualified.

35

No justice of the peace or judge of any court shall be disqualified from acting in cases arising under this Schedule by reason only of his being liable to the payment of any charges for gas or other charges under this Act

Interpretation.

36

In this Schedule—

• " navigation authority " means any person or body of persons, whether incorporated or not, authorised by or under an enactment to work, maintain, conserve, improve or control any canal or other inland navigation, navigable river, estuary, harbour or dock ;

• " railway authority " means any person or body of persons, whether incorporated or not, authorised by an enactment to construct, work or carry on a railway ; and

• " street " includes any square, court, alley, highway, road, lane, thoroughfare, or public passage or place.

SCHEDULE 5

PART I — Amendment of General Rate Act 1967

1

Hie section to be substituted for section 33 of the General Rate Act 1967 is as follows:—

(33) (1) Subject to subsection (2) and without prejudice to subsections (3) and (5) of this section, no premises occupied by the British Gas Corporation (hereafter referred to as "the Corporation") shall be liable to be rated or to be included in any valuation list or in any rate. (2) The foregoing subsection shall not apply— (a) to premises used as a dwelling ; or (b) to premises occupied by the Corporation wholly or mainly for the purposes of an undertaking for the supply of water; or (c) to premises occupied and used by the Corporation wholly or mainly for the manufacture of plant or gas fittings ; or (d) to a shop, room or other place occupied and used by the Corporation wholly or mainly for the sale, display or demonstration of apparatus or accessories for use by consumers of gas (any use for the receipt of payments for gas consumed being disregarded); or (e) subject and without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 12 of Schedule 6 to this Act, to office premises occupied by the Corporation and not situated on operational land of theirs. (3) For the purposes of the making and levying of a rate for any rating area for any rate period, if in the penultimate year the Corporation— (a) supplied gas to consumers in that area ; or (b) manufactured gas in that area; or (c) produced gas in that area by the application to gas purchased by them of any process not consisting only of purification, or of blending with other gases, or of both purification and such blending, the Corporation shall be treated as occupying in that area during that rate period a hereditament of a rateable value calculated in accordance with the provisions of Part I of Schedule 6 to this Act. (4) The hereditament which the Corporation are to be treated as occupying in a rating area by virtue of subsection (3) of this section shall be taken not to be situated in any part of that area in which there are leviable, as an additional item of the rate, expenses which are not leviable in the area taken as a whole. (5) If the Secretary of State is of opinion that payments by way of rates should be made by the Corporation by virtue of this subsection by reference to any premises occupied and used by them for the reception or liquefaction of gas or the evaporation of gas in a liquid state, being in any case gas purchased by the Corporation, he may, subject to paragraph 13 of Schedule 6 to this Act, make an order designating the premises for the purposes of this subsection and providing for the determination, by such method as may be specified by the order, of a value for the premises for those purposes ; and where such an order is in force, the Secretary of State may direct— (a) that the Corporation shall, during such period as is specified in the direction, be treated for rating purposes as occupying within the rating area in which the premises designated by the order are situated (and whether or not the Corporation occupy or are treated as occupying any other hereditament in that area) a hereditament of a rateable value equal to the value determined as aforesaid; and (b) that paragraph 5 of Schedule 6 to this Act shall have effect during the said period as if the Corporation's adjusted basic total of rateable values mentioned in that paragraph were reduced by an amount equal to that value ; and any direction under this subsection may be varied or revoked by a subsequent direction thereunder. (6) Subject to paragraph 13 of Schedule 6 to this Act, the Secretary of State may by order provide that, in such of the provisions of this section, the said Schedule 6, or any other enactment relating to rating as may be specified in the order, any reference to the manufacture of gas shall include a reference to such dealings with gas as may be specified by the order. (7) There shall have effect for the purposes of this section and Part I of Schedule 6 to this Act the supplementary provisions contained in Part II of that Schedule; and for the purposes of this section and that Schedule— (a) the expression " gas " includes gas in a liquid state, and, without prejudice to the provisions of any order under subsection (6) of this section, the following operations— (i) the liquefaction of gas, and (ii) the evaporation of gas in a liquid state, shall not of themselves be taken to constitute the manufacture of gas or the application of a process to gas ; (b) the expression " penultimate year ", in relation to a rate period or to a year, means the last but one year before that rate period or year ; (c) the expressions " office premises " and " operational land " have the meanings respectively assigned by section 32(8) of this Act.

2

The Schedule to be substituted for Schedule 6 to the General Rate Act 1967 is as follows:—

SCHEDULE 6 (1) The provisions of this Part of this Schedule shall have effect for the purpose of calculating for any rate period the rateable value of the hereditament which, by virtue of section 33(3) of this Act, the British Gas Corporation (hereafter referred to as "the Corporation ") are to be treated as occupying in any rating area. (2) (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) of this paragraph and to paragraph 4(3) of Schedule 5 to the Gas Act 1972, the Corporation shall be taken for the purposes of this Part of this Schedule to have a basic total of rateable values equal to £9,640,560. (2) If it appears to the Secretary of State that by reason of any substantial change of circumstances it is expedient so to do, he may, by order made after consultation with the Corporation and with such associations of local authorities as appear to him to be concerned, and with any local authority with whom consultation appears to him to be desirable, vary the Corporation's basic total of rateable values for the purposes of this Part of this Schedule; but an order under this sub-paragraph shall not have effect until approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament. (3) For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule, the standard number of therms of the Corporation shall be 2, 154, 934, 611. (4) For each year the Corporation shall— (a) estimate the number representing the total number of therms which, in the penultimate year, they supplied to consumers in England and Wales less one-half the number of therms in any gas which they purchased in that year in order to supply consumers in England or Wales ; and (b) calculate and certify the amount by which that estimated number exceeds or falls short of their standard number of therms; and the Corporation's basic total of rateable values shall be adjusted for that year by multiplying it by the fraction of which the numerator is their standard number of therms increased by one-fifth of the said excess or, as the case may be, decreased by one-fifth of the said deficiency, and the denominator is their standard number of therms. (5) (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (4) of this paragraph and to section 33(5) of this Act, the Corporation's basic total of rateable values, as adjusted for any year under paragraph 4 of this Schedule, shall be apportioned in accordance with sub-paragraph (2) of this paragraph for that year among all the rating areas in which, in the penultimate year, the Corporation supplied any therms to consumers, manufactured any therms, or produced any therms by such an application of such a process as is mentioned in section 33(3)(c) of this Act. (2) The proportion of the Corporation's adjusted total to be allocated under sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph to any one rating area shall be ascertained by multiplying that adjusted total by the fraction of which— (a) the numerator is the number of therms, as estimated and certified by the Corporation, which the Corporation supplied in the penultimate year to consumers in that area, plus nine-tenths of the number of therms (if any), as so estimated and certified, which in that year the Corporation manufactured in that area or produced in that area by such an application of such a process as is mentioned in section 33(3)(c) of this Act; and (b) the denominator is the total number of therms, as so estimated and certified, which the Corporation supplied in the penultimate year to consumers in England and Wales, plus nine-tenths of the total number of therms, as so estimated and certified, which in that year the Corporation manufactured in England or Wales or produced in England or Wales by such an application of such a process. (3) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2) of this paragraph, the number of therms produced by such an application of such a process as aforesaid shall be taken to be half the actual number thereof. (4) Subject to paragraph 13 of this Schedule, the Secretary of State may by order provide that the adjusted total aforesaid shall, instead of being apportioned and allocated as provided by the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, be apportioned and allocated as provided by the order. (6) The amount which, in accordance with paragraph 5 of this Schedule, is allocated for any year to a rating area shall be the rateable value of the hereditament which, by virtue of section 33(3) of this Act, the Corporation are to be treated as occupying in that area for any rate period insisting of or forming part of that year. (7) As respects each rating area in which the Corporation will fall to be treated as occupying during any rate period a hereditament of a rateable value calculated in accordance with Part I of this Schedule, it shall be the duty of the Corporation, before the end of the month of October preceding the beginning of that period, to transmit to the rating authority and to the valuation officer a statement setting out particulars of all the matters estimated, calculated and certified for the purpose of computing the rateable value of that hereditament. (8) On receipt of a statement under paragraph 7 of this Schedule, the valuation officer shall calculate the rateable value of the hereditament which the Corporation are to be treated as occupying during the rate period in question, and shall notify the amount of that rateable value to the rating authority before the end of the month of December preceding the beginning of that rate period. (9) The duty imposed on the Corporation by paragraph 7 of this Schedule shall be enforceable by mandamus at the instance of the rating authority or of the valuation officer; and the duty imposed on the valuation officer by paragraph 8 of this Schedule shall be enforceable by mandamus at the instance of the rating authority. (10) Where the valuation officer notifies the amount of a rateable value to the rating authority in accordance with paragraph 8 of this Schedule— (a) the rating authority, in making and levying any rate for a rate period to which the notification relates, shall include the Corporation as the occupier of a hereditament of that rateable value ; and (b) the valuation officer, at or as soon as may be after the beginning of the year consisting of or comprising any such rate period, shall cause such alterations (if any) to be made in the valuation list as may be requisite for showing the Corporation in the list as the occupier of a hereditament of that rateable value, and if any such alteration is made after the beginning of the year, it shall be treated as having been made at the 'beginning of the year: Provided that, if the year referred to in sub-paragraph (b) of this paragraph is a year beginning with the date on which a new valuation list comes into force, that sub-paragraph shall not apply, but the valuation officer shall include the Corporation in the list as the occupier of a hereditament of the said rateable value. (11) (1) The provisions of this paragraph shall have effect where gas is manufactured by the Corporation in a gasworks which is situated partly in one rating area and partly in one or more other rating areas. (2) For the purposes of section 33 of this Act, the Corporation shall be treated as manufacturing gas in each of the rating areas in which a part of the gasworks is situated, notwithstanding that no gas is actually manufactured in one or more of those areas. (3) For the purposes of paragraph 5 of this Schedule the gas manufactured in the gasworks in any year shall be treated as apportioned between all the rating areas in which parts of the gasworks are situated, in such proportions as may be agreed between the rating authorities of those areas and the Corporation: Provided that if any apportionment required by this sub-paragraph for the purpose of apportioning the Corporation's adjusted total of rateable values for any year has not been agreed between the rating authorities and the Corporation before the end of the month of September preceding the beginning of that year, the apportionment required by this sub-paragraph shall be made by the Secretary of State and notified by him to the rating authorities and to the Corporation as soon as may be after the end of that month. (4) In this paragraph— (a) the expression " gasworks " means any group of premises within one curtilage which is occupied by the Corporation for the purposes of the manufacture of gas, and a group of premises shall not be treated as being otherwise than within one curtilage by reason only that it is traversed by a public highway ; (b) any reference to the manufacture of gas shall be construed as including a reference to the production of gas by such an application of such process as is mentioned in section 33(3)(c) of this Act. (12) For the purposes of section 33(2)(e) of this Act, paragraph 8 of Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect as if for any reference therein to section 32(2)(b) of this Act there were substituted a reference to the said section 33(2)(e), and as if it provided for the determination of any such question as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (3) or (4) thereof by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. (13) Before making any order under section 33(5) or (6) of this Act, or under paragraph 5(4) of this Schedule, the Secretary of State shall consult with the Corporation, with such associations of local authorities as appear to him to be concerned, and with any local authority with whom consultation appears to him to be desirable; and any such order— (a) may contain such incidental, supplemental and consequential provisions, including any provisions altering any enactment or instrument, as the Secretary of State considers expedient for the purposes of the order ; and (b) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

PART II — Transitional Provisions

3

• (1) The Corporation shall not by virtue of section 33(3) of the General Rate Act 1967 as set out in paragraph 1 of this Schedule be treated as occupying a hereditament in any rating area for any rate period beginning before 1st April 1974 ; but if during any rate period beginning on or after the appointed day and ending before the said 1st April an Area Board would if this Act had not been passed have been treated as occupying a hereditament in any area by virtue of section 33(3) of the said Act of 1967 as in force immediately before the appointed day, the Corporation shall be treated for the purpose of the making and levying of a rate for that area for that period as occupying the like hereditament during that period.

• (2) If the appointed day falls before 1st April 1973, the Secretary of State may nevertheless make at any time before the said 1st April an order under paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 6 to the said Act of 1967 as in force immediately before the appointed day which shall have effect for the purpose of calculating in accordance with Part I of that Schedule as so in force the rateable values of the hereditaments which the Corporation are to be treated as occupying by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) above.

• (3) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) above, paragraphs 7 to 10 of the said Schedule 6 shall have effect until the appointed day as if this Act had not been passed, and, as then in force, shall thereafter continue to have effect with the necessary modifications.

4

• (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, in relation to any rate period or year beginning on or after 1st April 1974, section 33(3) of and Schedule 6 to the General Rate Act 1967 as set out in Part I of this Schedule shall have effect as if references to gas supplied, manufactured, produced or purchased by the Corporation included references to gas supplied, manufactured, produced or, as the case may be, purchased by the Corporation as the Gas Council and by Area Boards.

• (2) Sub-paragraph (1) above shall not apply to paragraph 4(a) of the said Schedule 6, but, in relation to any such rate period or year as is mentioned in the said sub-paragraph (1), the reference in the said paragraph 4(a) to gas purchased by the Corporation in order to supply consumers in England or Wales shall include a reference to gas purchased by the Corporation as the Gas Council in order to supply Area Boards or consumers in England or Wales, and to gas purchased by Area Boards otherwise than from the Corporation as such.

• (3) If, by virtue of any order under paragraph 2(2) of the said Schedule 6 as in force immediately before the appointed day (including an order made by virtue of paragraph 3(2) above), the basic totals of rateable values of the Area Boards in England and Wales as on 1st April 1973 amount in the aggregate to a sum other than £9,640,560, that sum shall be substituted for the reference to £9,640,560 in paragraph 2(1) of that Schedule as set out in paragraph 2 above.

5

• (1) Where any premises designated by an order in force immediately before the appointed day under subsection (5) of section 33 of the General Rate Act 1967 are thereafter occupied and used by the Corporation as mentioned in that subsection in relation to gas purchased either by the Corporation (whether as such or as the Gas Council) or by an Area Board, the order and any related direction so in force shall, with the necessary modifications, have effect as from that day as if authorised by, and made or given under, the new section 33(5) set out in paragraph 1 of this Schedule; but the Secretary of State shall vary the direction as from that day so that it provides as mentioned in the said section 33(5) as so set out, subject to the qualification that, so far as it requires a reduction in the basic total of rateable values of any Area Board, that requirement shall continue to have effect for the purpose of calculating the rateable values of the hereditaments which the Corporation are to be treated as occupying by virtue of paragraph 3(1) of this Schedule.

• (2) Any direction given by virtue of an order made under the said section 33(5) on or after the appointed day may make such provision as is mentioned in the said section 33(5) as in force immediately before that day for the purpose specified in sub-paragraph (1) above.

SCHEDULE 6

PART I — Specific Amendments of Public General Acts

The Land Drainage Act 1930

1

In section 61(1)(e) of the Land Drainage Act 1930, for the words " the undertakings of Area Boards (within the meaning of the Gas Act, 1948)", there shall be substituted the words " the undertaking of the British Gas Corporation ".

The Petroleum (Production) Act 1934

2

For the proviso to section 4 of the Petroleum (Production) Act 1934, there shall be substituted the following proviso—

Provided that the Secretary of State shall not give an authorisation under this section in respect of any premises unless he is satisfied— (a) that the British Gas Corporation have been given an opportunity of purchasing the gas at a reasonable price, and (b) that the gas is to be supplied to those premises for industrial purposes only

.

The Gas Act 1948

3

Section 46 of the Gas Act 1948 (central guarantee fund) and paragraph 32 of Schedule 3 to that Act (pollution of inland waters) shall cease to have effect.

The Iron and Steel Act 1949

4

In section 47 of the Iron and Steel Act 1949 (as revived by section 34 of the Iron and Steel Act 1967 and set out in Schedule 4 to that Act), the words " with the Gas Council and with any Area Gas Board in whose area those activities are or are to be carried on " shall be omitted.

Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954

5

• (1) In section 1(2) of the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, for the words " the enactments relating to gas ", there shall be substituted the words " the Gas Act 1972 or regulations made thereunder, by any other enactment relating to gas ",

and for the words " a Gas Board or Electricity Board ", there shall be substituted the words " the British Gas Corporation or an Electricity Board ".

• (2) In section 2(1)(a) of the said Act, for the words " a Gas Board or ", there shall be substituted the words " the Corporation or an ",

and before the words " such a Board", there shall be inserted the words " the Corporation or ".

• (3) In the said section 2(1), for the words " the Board " (in both places where they appear), there shall be substituted the words " the Corporation or Board ".

• (4) In section 2(3) of the said Act, for the words " section seventy of the Gas Act, 1948 (if entry is required for the purposes of a Gas Board) ", there shall be substituted the words " section 44 of the Gas Act 1972 (if entry is required for the purposes of the Corporation) ".

• (5) In section 3(1) of the said Act:—

• (a) the following definition shall be inserted before that of " Electricity Board " —

• ' the Corporation ' means the British Gas Corporation ;

,

• (b) the following definition shall be substituted for that of " employee " —

• ' employee ', in relation to the Corporation or to an Electricity Board, means an officer, servant or agent of the Corporation or of the Board ;

,

• (c) the definition of " Gas Board " shall be omitted.

The Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act 1956

6

• (1) In section 24 of the Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act 1956—

• (a) any reference to a Gas Board shall be construed as a reference to the British Gas Corporation,

• (b) in subsection (1)—

• (i) for the words " the year 1961-1962 and of any subsequent year ", there shall be substituted the words " any year subsequent to the year following the appointed day ",

• (ii) the words " the year 1961-1962 or" shall be omitted,

• (c) in subsection (2)—

• (i) for the words " 1961-1962", there shall be substituted the words " subsequent to the year following the appointed day ",

• (ii) the words " except as provided in this Part of this Act" shall be omitted,

• (d) in subsection (4)—

• (i) the words " and the next following" shall be omitted,

• (ii) after the word " section ", the following definition shall be inserted—

• ' appointed day ' means the day appointed by the Secretary of State under section 1(1) of the Gas Act 1972

,

• (iii) in the definition of " excepted premises", after the words "functions of a Gas Board", there shall be inserted the words " or lands and heritages occupied and used by the British Gas Corporation wholly or mainly for the manufacture of plant or gas fittings

• (2) In section 43(1) of the said Act, the definition of " Gas Board " shall be omitted and there shall be inserted the following definition—

• ' gas ' includes gas in a liquid state, but— the liquefaction of gas, and the evaporation of gas in a liquid state, shall not of themselves be taken to constitute the manufacture of gas or the application of a process to gas.

.

• (3) In Schedule 4 to the said Act—

• (a) any reference to a Gas Board shall be construed as a reference to the British Gas Corporation,

• (b) in paragraph 1, for the words " 1963-1964 ", there shall be substituted the words " subsequent to the year following the appointed day ",

• (c) for paragraph 3, there shall be substituted the following paragraph—

(3) For the purposes of this Schedule the standard number of therms shall be 157, 613, 661,

• (d) in paragraph 4—

• (i) in sub-paragraph (1), after the word "For" there shall be inserted the words " the basic year and ",

• (ii) in sub-paragraph (2)(a), for the words " their area ", there shall be substituted the word " Scotland ",

• (e) in paragraph 5(1)(b), for the words " the area of the Board ", there shall be substituted the word " Scotland

House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957

7

In Part II of Schedule 1 to the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957 (which lists bodies of which all members are disqualified for membership of the House of Commons), as it applies in relation to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the references to an Area Gas Board and to the Gas Council shall be omitted, and there shall be inserted at the appropriate point the words " The British Gas Corporation ".

.

The Housing Act 1957

8

In section 130 of the Housing Act 1957, the words "gas boards", " and gas works respectively" and " or gas" shall be omitted.

The Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act 1961

9

In section 2(2)(e) and section 4(1)(c) of the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act 1961, the words "paragraph 32 of the Third Schedule to the Gas Act, 1948, or " shall be omitted.

The Local Government (Financial Provisions etc.) (Scotland) Act 1962

10

In section 3 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions etc.) (Scotland) Act 1962—

• (a) any reference to a Gas Board shall be construed as a reference to the British Gas Corporation,

• (b) in paragraph (a), for the words from " Boards)" to the end there shall be substituted the words " the number of therms estimated under paragraph 4(2) of that Schedule shall be reduced by one-half of the number of therms purchased by the British Gas Corporation in order to supply consumers in Scotland in the period of twelve months referred to in that paragraph ",

• (c) in paragraph (c)—

• (i) after the word " manufactured" there shall be inserted the words " in Scotland ",

• (ii) after the word " produced " there shall be inserted the words " in Scotland ",

• (d) after paragraph (d), the following paragraph shall be inserted—

(c) in this section the expression ' gas ' has the same meaning as in section 43(1) of the Act of 1956

.

The Local Government (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1963

11

In section 12 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1963—

• (a) any reference to a Gas Board shall be construed as a reference to the British Gas Corporation,

• (b) in subsection (1), for the words " 1963-1964 ", there shall be substituted the words " subsequent to the year following the appointed day ",

• (c) after subsection (3), the following subsection shall be added—

(4) In this section the expression ' the appointed day' means the day appointed by the Secretary of State under section 1(1) of the Gas Act 1972.

The Continental Shelf Act 1964

12

• (1) In section 9(3) of the Continental Shelf Act 1964, for paragraph (a), there shall be substituted the following paragraph—

(a) that the supply is for industrial purposes and that the British Gas Corporation have been given an opportunity of purchasing the gas at a reasonable price ; or

.

• (2) In section 9(6) of the said Act, for the words "an Area Board", there shall be substituted the words " the British Gas Corporation ".

• (3) In section 9(7) of the said Act, the words "' Area Board' has the same meaning as in the Gas Act 1948 and" shall be omitted.

The Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) (Scotland) Act 1965

13

In section 2(2) of the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) (Scotland) Act 1965, paragraph (e) shall be omitted.

The Gas Act 1965

14

• (1) In Part II of the Gas Act 1965, for the words " a gas authority ", " the gas authority ", " the gas authority concerned " and " any gas authority " (wherever those words occur), there shall be substituted the words " the Corporation ".

Provided that—

• (a) the words " the Corporation " shall be substituted in section 5(2) for the words " the gas authority authorised to operate the underground gas storage " , in section 5(4) for the words " the gas authority to whom the storage authorisation order applies ", in section 5(11) for the words "the gas authority named in the order ", and in section 19(5)(c) for the words " the gas authority having responsibilities as respects the storage ",

• (b) in section 16(4), for the words " The gas authority on whom a notice is served under this section ", there shall be substituted the words " Where a notice is served on the Corporation under this section, they ", and

• (c) in section 17(1), for the words " and a gas authority failing to comply with this subsection ", there shall be substituted the words " and if the Corporation fail to comply with this subsection, they ",

• (d) in section 17(5), for the words "A gas authority failing to comply with this subsection", there shall be substituted the words " If the Corporation fail to comply with this subsection, they ", and

• (e) in section 17(6), for the words " A gas authority guilty of an offence under this Part of this Act by virtue of this section", there shall be substituted the words " if the Corporation are guilty of an offence under this Part of this Act by virtue of this section, they ".

• (2) In Part II of the said Act, for the words "section 11 of the principal Act" (wherever those words occur), there shall be substituted the words " Schedule 2 to the principal Act " ; and in section 13(3) of the said Act, for the words "the said section 11 ", there shall be substituted the words " the said Schedule 2 ".

• (3) In section 4(8) of the said Act, paragraph (a) shall be omitted.

• (4) In section 12(6) of the said Act, the words "another gas authority or " shall be omitted.

• (5) In section 19(3) and in section 19(4) of the said Act, for the words " the Gas Council ", there shall be substituted the words " the Corporation ".

• (6) In section 21(1) and in section 21(2) of the said Act, for the words " section 68(1)", there shall be substituted the words " section 42(1) " and in section 21(2), for the words " Section 69(1)", there shall be substituted the words " Section 43(1) ".

• (7) In section 21(3) of the said Act, for the words " that authority or ", there shall be substituted the words " the Corporation or that ".

• (8) In section 22(1) of the said Act, for the words " Section 70 ", there shall be substituted the words " Section 44 " and in section 22(2), for the words " Section 73 ", there shall be substituted the words " Section 46 ".

• (9) In section 28(1) of the said Act:—

• (a) the following definition shall be inserted before that of " danger " —

• ' the Corporation ' means the British Gas Corporation;

,

• (b) the following definition shall be substituted for that of " large-scale map " —

• ' large-scale map ' means a map on a scale not less than 1 in 10,560;

, and

• (c) the definition of " gas authority " shall be omitted.

• (10) In section 32(2) of the said Act, for the words from " the Gas Act, 1948 " to " that Act", there shall be substituted the words " the Gas Act 1972 ".

• (11) In paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 2 to the said Act, paragraph (a) shall be omitted.

• (12) In paragraph 8(1), in paragraph 8(5) and in paragraph 12(8) of Schedule 2 to the said Act, for the words "section 73 ", there shall be substituted the words " section 46 ".

• (13) Paragraph 14 of Schedule 2 to the said Act shall be omitted.

• (14) In paragraph 1(4) of Schedule 6 to the said Act, the words " or any other gas authority " shall be omitted.

• (15) In paragraph 5 of Schedule 6 to the said Act, for the words "a gas board", there shall be substituted the words " the Corporation ".

• (16) In paragraph 6 of Schedule 6 to the said Act, for the words " that gas authority", there shall be substituted the words " the Corporation ".

The Selective Employment Payments Act 1966

15

• (1) In Part I of Schedule 1 to the Selective Employment Payments Act 1966, the following entry shall be substituted for the entries numbered 7 and 8—

(7) The British Gas Corporation.

.

• (2) In Part II of that Schedule, for the words "an Area Gas Board" there shall be substituted the words " the British Gas Corporation ".

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966

16

• (1) In section 18 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966—

• (a) in subsection (1), the words " or section 3(1) of the Gas Act 1965 " shall be omitted,

• (b) in subsection (4), for paragraph (b), there shall be substituted the following paragraph—

(b) the British Gas Corporation, is the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry ; and

,

• (c) in subsection (5), for the words from " Gas Council" to " 1948", there shall be substituted the words " British Gas Corporation ".

• (2) In section 19 of the said Act—

• (a) in subsection (1), the words "or section 3(1) of the Gas Act 1965 " shall be omitted,

• (b) in subsection (3), for the words from " any area board " to " 1948 ", there shall be substituted the words " the British Gas Corporation ".

The General Rate Act 1967

17

In paragraph 5(1)(b) of Schedule 3 to the General Rate Act 1967, for the words "an area board established by the Gas Act 1948, in the Gas Council", there shall be substituted the words " the British Gas Corporation ".

The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970

18

In section 14(1) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, for the words " the Gas Consultative Councils ", there shall be substituted the words " the National Gas Consumers' Council and the Regional Gas Consumers' Councils ".

PART II — General Adaptations etc.

19

All local enactments, and (under whatever Act made) all regulations, rules and orders, which are in force immediately before the appointed day and then applicable to the Gas Council or an Area Board shall have effect as from that day as if—

• (a) for references therein to the Gas Council or an Area Board there were substituted references to the Corporation, and

• (b) for any reference therein (however worded, and whether expressed or implied) to the business, or any part of the business, of the Gas Council or an Area Board, or to the area of supply of an Area Board or any part thereof, there were substituted a reference to the corresponding part of the Corporation's business or, as the case may be, to the corresponding area supplied by the Corporation,

and shall also have effect, as from such date as may be prescribed (which may be prior to the making of the regulations but not to the appointed day), with such other adaptations and modifications (if any) as may be prescribed, being adaptations or modifications required in consequence of the provisions of this Act.

20

Any public general Act passed before 1st May 1949 (the vesting date for the purposes of the Gas Act 1948) and, by virtue of section 56(3) of that Act, to be construed immediately before the appointed day as referring to an Area Board or the business of an Area Board shall be construed as from the appointed day as referring to the Corporation or, as the case may be, the corresponding part of the Corporation's business.

21

For the purpose of securing, so far as is reasonably practicable, a uniform statutory code applicable throughout any part of Great Britain, the Secretary of State may by order provide for the amendment or repeal of any local enactment, regulation or order to which paragraph 19 above applies, or for its extension to any area specified in the order, and for such matters consequential on or incidental to any such amendment, repeal or extension for which the Secretary of State considers it necessary or expedient to provide.

SCHEDULE 7

PART I — Matters arising from the Industry's New Structure

Pensions for members of Gas Council and Area Boards

1

In section 1(3) of this Act, the reference to any person who is or has been a member of the Corporation shall include a reference to any person who has at any time been a member of the Gas Council or an Area Board.

Corporation's first report, and terminal reports etc. on Gas Counciland Area Boards

2

• (1) In relation to the Corporation's report under section 8(1) of this Act in respect of their first financial year, the reference in that provision to the Corporation's functions, policy and programmes includes a reference to their functions, policy and programmes as the Gas Council, and the directions referred to in subsection (2) of the said section 8 include any directions given to them as the Gas Council, other than directions in respect of which a notification has been given before the appointed day under section 10(2) of the Gas Act 1948.

• (2) If by the appointed day the Gas Council have not made a report under section 10 of the said Act of 1948 in respect of their last full financial year as (the Gas Council, it shall be the duty of the Corporation to make to the Secretary of State as soon as possible after the appointed day a report for that year complying with the said section 10 in its application to the Gas Council.

• (3) It shall be the duty of the Corporation to make to the Secretary of State, as soon as possible after the appointed day and, if the Secretary of State so directs, in such form as is specified in the direction—

• (a) in the case of each of the Area Boards, a report for the period from the end of the Board's last full financial year until the appointed day, being one complying with the said section 10 in its application to the Board as respects that period, and

• (b) in the case of any Area Board who have not by that day made a report under the said section 10 in respect of their last full financial year, a report for that year complying with the said section 10 in its application to the Board as respects that year.

• (4) The Secretary of State shall lay a copy of every report made to him under this paragraph before each House of Parliament.

• (5) The Corporation shall also furnish the Secretary of State with such returns, accounts and other information as he may from time to time require with respect to the activities before the appointed day of any of the Area Boards, and shall afford to the Secretary of State facilities for the verification of information so furnished.

Gas Consultative Councils : transfer of pending matters, and terminal reports by Regional Councils

3

• (1) Where immediately before the appointed day a Gas Consultative Council established under section 9 of the Gas Act 1948 have any matter under consideration pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (4) of that .section, that matter shall be included among those which it is the duty of the appropriate Regional Council or Councils to consider pursuant to the corresponding provision (that is to say, paragraph (a) or paragraph (c)) of section 10(5) of this Act; and the duty of the Corporation under section 10(7) of this Act shall include a duty to consider any conclusions or reports of a Gas Consultative Council which, immediately before the appointed day, are required by subsection (6) of the said section 9 to be considered by one of the Area Boards.

• (2) Any representation received by a local representative of a Gas Consultative Council on behalf of that Council shall be treated as from the appointed day as having been received on behalf of the appropriate Regional Council or Councils.

4

• (1) Each of the Regional Councils existing as from the appointed day for the area of one of the Area Boards shall, as soon as possible thereafter, make to the Corporation—

• (a) a report on the exercise and performance of their functions by the Gas Consultative Council for that area during the period from the end of the last full financial year of the Area Board until the appointed day, and

• (b) if as respects that year the Gas Consultative Council have not by that day made a report to the Area Board under section 10(4) of the Gas Act 1948, a report on the exercise and performance of their functions by that Council during that year;

and the Corporation shall include any report under this sub-paragraph in their appropriate report under paragraph 2 above on the Area Board in question.

• (2) The Secretary of State may give directions requiring any Regional Council specified therein to make to the Corporation, as soon as possible after the appointed day.—

• (a) a report on the exercise and performance of their functions by any Gas Consultative Council in respect of whom a report is not required under sub-paragraph (1) above during the period from the end of the last full financial year of the Area Board for whose area that Council was established until the appointed day, and

• (b) if as respects that year the Gas Consultative Council have not by that day made a report to that Area Board under the said section 10(4), a report on the exercise and performance of their functions by that Council during that year;

and the Corporation shall include any report under this sub-paragraph in their appropriate report under paragraph 2 above on that Area Board.

Compulsory purchase

5

Anything done before the appointed day for the purposes of or otherwise in connection with, the compulsory purchase of land, or rights over land, by the Gas Council or an Area Board under section 11 of the Gas Act 1948 shall have effect as from that day as if done for the purposes of, or otherwise in connection with, the compulsory purchase of the land or rights in question by the Corporation under Schedule 2 to this Act.

PART II — Financial Matters

Government advances to Gas Council before appointed day

6

Section 20(5) of this Act shall have effect as if the sums therein referred to included any sums issued to the Secretary of State in the financial year in which the appointed day falls for the purpose of enabling him to make advances to the Gas Council under section 2 of the Electricity and Gas Act 1963, and any sums received by him in that or any subsequent year in respect of advances to the Council under that section or section 42 of the Finance Act 1956 ; and the Secretary of State shall not include any sums to which this paragraph applies in any account prepared by him under the said section 2.

British Gas Stock regulations

7

Any regulations under section 43(2) of the Gas Act 1948 in force immediately before the appointed day shall, with the necessary modifications, have effect as from that day as if made under section 21(2) of this Act and referring to stock created under that section as well as stock created under the said section 43.

Compensation to local authorities

8

Payments made by the Corporation in satisfaction of the liabilities of Area Boards under section 28 of the Gas Act 1948 shall be treated as capital payments or annual ones according as they would have been treated by virtue of subsection (5) of that section if made before the appointed day by those Boards.

Accounts

9

• (1) The statement to be prepared by the Corporation under section 23(1)(b) of this Act in respect of their first financial year shall be one showing the state of affairs of the Corporation, and the aggregate profit or loss in that year of the Corporation (whether as such or as the Gas Council) and the Area Boards.

• (2) If by the appointed day the Gas Council or any of the Area Boards have not prepared a statement of accounts in respect of their last full financial year pursuant to section 50(1) of the Gas Act 1948, it shall be the duty of the Corporation to prepare a statement in respect of that year as soon as possible after that day, being one complying with the requirements of the said section 50 and any relevant direction in force thereunder immediately before that day; and if by the appointed day the accounts of the Gas Council or of any Area Board for the said financial year have not been audited pursuant to section 50(3) of the said Act of 1948 they shall be audited pursuant to this sub-paragraph by the auditors appointed in respect of that year under the said section 50(3).

• (3) It shall be the duty of the Corporation to prepare as soon as possible after the appointed day a statement of accounts in respect of each of the Area Boards for the period from the end of their last full financial year until that day, being a statement complying with the requirements of the said section 50 and any relevant direction in force thereunder immediately before that day ; and the accounts of each of the Area Boards for the said period shall be audited by persons appointed for the purpose by the Secretary of State, being persons qualified for appointment as auditors under section 23(6) of this Act.

• (4) As soon as any accounts have been audited by virtue of the preceding provisions of this paragraph, the Corporation shall send a copy of any statement of those accounts prepared pursuant to those provisions or to the said section 50 to the Secretary of State, together with a copy of any report made by the auditors on the statement or accounts; and the Secretary of State shall lay a copy of the statement and of any such report before each House of Parliament.

PART III — Gas Supply Matters

Agreements not affected by duty of Corporation to avoid undue preference in supply

10

The reference in section 24(2) of this Act to any special agreement made by the Corporation under section 25(6) thereof shall include a reference to any special agreement made by an Area Board under section 53(6) of the Gas Act 1948, and any agreement made by the Gas Council by virtue of section 1(3) of the Gas Act 1965.

Calorific value

11

• (1) Any declaration having effect immediately before the appointed day with respect to the calorific value within the meaning of the Gas Act 1948 of gas supplied by an Area Board shall, not-withstanding the different meaning given to that expression for the purposes of this Act, have effect as from that day as a declaration of calorific value validly made by the Corporation for those purposes.

• (2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3) below, for the purpose of ascertaining the calorific value of gas supplied by the Corporation to any area, the Secretary of State shall be treated as having made on the appointed day a determination under section 25(1) of this Act that the gas supplied to that area is to be treated as containing such an amount of water vapour as is requisite to saturate the gas with water vapour.

• (3) Sub-paragraph (2) above shall not apply in the case of gas supplied by the Corporation from any gasworks or group of gasworks in relation to which a direction under section 74(1) of the said Act of 1948 is in force immediately before the appointed day, but, instead, for the purpose mentioned in the said sub-paragraph (2), the Secretary of State shall be treated as having made on the appointed day a determination under the said section 25(1) in relation to that gas having the like effect as that direction or, as the case may require, it shall be assumed as from the appointed day that the Secretary of State has made no such determination in relation to that gas.

Charges

12

• (1) Any tariff in force immediately before the appointed day under section 53(4) of the Gas Act 1948 shall have effect as from that day as if fixed by the Corporation under section 25(3) of this Act.

• (2) Nothing in the said section 25 shall affect any special agreement made by an Area Board under section 53(6) of the said Act of 1948, or any agreement made by the Gas Council by virtue of section 1(3) of the Gas Act 1965.

Standards

13

• (1) In relation to any regulations made before die appointed day under subsection (1) of section 26 of this Act, the first reference in that subsection to the Corporation shall be read as a reference to the Gas Council.

• (2) Any regulations in force immediately before the appointed day under section 55(4) of the Gas Act 1948 shall, with the necessary modifications, have effect as from that day as if made under subsection (3) of the said section 26:

Provided that this sub-paragraph shall not apply to regulations relating to any such matter as is specified in paragraph (f) of the said section 55(4).

• (3) Any appointment having effect immediately before the appointed day under and for the purposes of section 55(2) of the said Act of 1948 shall have effect as from that day as if made under and for the purposes of subsection (2) of the said section 26.

• (4) The repeals effected by this Act shall not affect—

• (a) the operation of section 55(3) of the said Act of 1948 in relation to the payment of pensions to or in respect of persons whose appointments under section 55(2) of that Act come to an end before the appointed day, or

• (b) the operation of the said section 55(3), section 2 of the Gas Act 1960 or any related enactment in relation to sums paid by the Secretary of State under the said section 55(3) or other expenses incurred before the appointed day.

Supply by other persons

14

Section 29(1) of this Act shall not apply—

• (a) to the supply of gas by any person to premises which he was supplying immediately before 1st May 1949 (the vesting date for the purposes of the Gas Act 1948), or

• (b) to a person's supply of gas to any premises in accordance with the consent of an Area Board granted to him before the appointed day under section 52(1) of the said Act of 1948.

Meters

15

• (1) Any appointment having effect immediately before the appointed day under section 54 of the Gas Act 1948 shall have effect as from that day as if made under section 30 of this Act

• (2) Any regulations in force immediately before the appointed day under the said section 54 shall, with the necessary modifications, have effect as from that day as if made under the said section 30.

• (3) Any meter which, immediately before the appointed day, is duly stamped under the said section 54 or is treated by virtue of subsection (7) of that section as so stamped, shall be treated as from that day as stamped by a meter examiner appointed under the said section 30.

• (4) The repeal by this Act of subsection (3) of the said section 54 shall not affect the operation of that subsection in relation to the payment of pensions to or in respect of persons whose appointments under that section come to an end before the appointed day.

Safety regulations

16

Any regulations in force immediately before the appointed day under section 67 of the Gas Act 1948 shall, with the necessary modifications, have effect as from that day as if made under section 31 of this Act.

Re-sale charges

17