Abolition, or variation of scope of operation, of wages councils
14.—(1) The Department may at any time by order abolish, or vary the scope of operation of, any wages council.
(2) Before making an order under this Article the Department shall have regard to—
(a)the current levels of remuneration among any workers in relation to whom the wages council concerned would cease to operate, or (as the case may be) begin to operate, as a result of the order, and
(b)such other matters as appear to it to be appropriate, and shall consult such persons or organisations as appear to it to be appropriate.
(3) An order under this Article may vary the scope of operation of a wages council by reference to any matters or circumstances whatever, and in particular may do so by excluding from its scope of operation employers who are either—
(a)specified in the order, or
(b)members of an organisation so specified, or
(c)represented on an organisation so specified.
(4) Where an order of the Department under this Article abolishes, or varies the scope of operation of, one wages council and directs that any workers previously within the scope of operation of that council shall be brought within the scope of operation of another, the order may—
(a)provide that anything done by, or to give effect to proposals made by, the first of those councils shall have effect in relation to those workers as if it had been done by, or to give effect to proposals made by, the second of those councils; and
(b)make such further provisions as appear to the Department to be expedient in connection with the order, including provision for renaming any council to which the order relates.
(5) Where an order of the Department under this Article abolishes a wages council or directs that a wages council shall cease to operate in relation to any workers, then, except as is otherwise provided by the order, anything done by, or to give effect to proposals made by, that wages council shall cease to have effect or (as the case may be) cease to have effect in relation to the workers in relation to whom the council ceases to operate.
(6) Nothing in paragraph (5) shall be construed as affecting any rights or liabilities which have accrued to any person in consequence of anything done or omitted to be done before the coming into operation of the order.