The Gas (Meters) (Variation of Fees) Regulations 1990

Made: 20th March 1990

Laid before Parliament: 23rd March 1990

Coming into force: 16th April 1990

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 17(8)(d) and section 48(1)[^f00001] of the Gas Act 1986[^f00002] and all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Gas (Meters) (Variation of Fees) Regulations 1990 and shall come into force on 16th April 1990.

• (2) Nothing in these Regulations shall apply in relation to a case in relation to which, in pursuance of subsection (12) of section 17 of the Gas Act 1986, the preceding provisions of that section do not have effect.

2

The Gas (Meters) Regulations 1983[^f00003] (hereinafter referred to as “the Principal Regulations”) shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in regulations 3 and 4 below.

3

In regulation 5 of the Principal Regulations (fees)—

• (a) “£31.80” shall be substituted for “£13.70” in paragraphs (2)(b) and (6)(b);

• (b) “£4.70” shall be substituted for “£2.70” in paragraph (3);

• (c) “£469” shall be substituted for “£375” in paragraph (4)(a);

• (d) “£34.50” shall be substituted for “£30” in paragraph (4)(b);

• (e) “£3,125” shall be substituted for “£2,500” in paragraph (5)(a); and

• (f) “£230” shall be substituted for “£200” in paragraph (5)(b).

4

The following Schedule shall be substituted for Schedule 1 to the Principal Regulations—

SCHEDULE 1

For the purposes of this Schedule— (a) “a modified prototype” means a prototype which, prior to modification, has already been examined by a meter examiner; (b) a modified prototype incorporates relevant alterations if the alterations made to it in the course of modification are such that a meter examiner considers that further tests are necessary to determine whether it conforms to the standard prescribed in paragraph (1)(b) or (c) of regulation 3 above; (c) “a rotary positive displacement meter” means a meter constructed so that it contains a rotating partition; and (d) “a turbine meter” means a meter constructed so that it contains a turbine wheel.

Signed

Peter Morrison — Minister of State, — Department of Energy — 20th March 1990

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations alter fees prescribed by the Gas (Meters) Regulations 1983 (as amended). The fees are payable to the Secretary of State for the examination of gas meters by examiners appointed by him, and for stamping meters as being in conformity with applicable standards. Regulation 3 increases fees payable in respect of time spent by examiners in travelling, preparatory work and dismantling equipment (paragraph (a)), and in respect of the examination of a disputed meter (paragraph (b)); it also increases supplementary fees payable in respect of the examination of certain special kinds of meter (paragraphs (c)—(e)).

Regulation 4 substitutes a Schedule setting out new fees for examining prototype meters and for examining or stamping meters which are not prototypes. The new fees relating to prototypes are 25% higher than those previously in force. The fees relating to other meters represent increases of 15%, except in the case of those meters with the smallest capacity (those generally used in connection with domestic gas supplies), the fee for which is reduced by 10%, and except also in the case of those meters with the largest capacity (exceeding 1600 cubic meters per hour), for which provision has not been made previously. The fee prescribed for meters with a capacity exceeding 1600 cubic metres per hour will not apply in cases where there is a supply agreement providing for a meter exceeding this capacity to be used; such cases are excluded from the scope of section 17 of the Gas Act 1986.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: See the definition of “regulations”.

[^f00002]: 1986 c. 44.

[^f00003]: S.I. 1983/684, amended by S.I. 1988/980.