12Power of the Minister to direct the Post Office to do work for government departments and local authorities
(1)Subject to the provisions of this section, the Minister may, after consultation with the Post Office, give to it a direction that it shall do, for Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom or Her Majesty's Government in Northern Ireland, work of such a description as may be specified in the direction, being work consisting in the effecting of transactions in normal business hours in such parts of post offices as are open to the public during those hours for the transaction of postal business.
(2)Subject to the provisions of this section, the Minister may, after consultation with the Post Office, give to it a direction that it shall, in normal business hours, issue, on behalf of a local authority in Great Britain specified in the direction, licences of the following kinds (or of such of them as may be so specified) namely:—
(a)dog licences;
(b)licences for dealing in game ; and
(c)licences for killing game ;
but so that no direction be given under this subsection with reference to a local authority except at its request.
(3)Subject to the provisions of this section, the Minister may, after consultation with the Post Office, give to it a direction that it shall, in normal business hours, issue licences under the [1954 c. 17 (N.I.).] Vehicles (Excise) Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 on behalf of a county council or county borough council in Northern Ireland specified in the direction, but so that no direction be given under this subsection with respect to such a council except at its request.
(4)The Post Office shall comply with a direction given to it under subsection (1), (2) or (3) above.
(5)In the event of a dispute's arising as to the places at which, days on which or periods during which work is to be done in compliance with a direction given under subsection (1) above or licences are to be issued in compliance with a direction given under subsection (2) or (3) above, it shall be determined by the Minister.
(6)The Minister shall not give a direction under subsection (1), (2) or (3) above or proceed to a determination under the last foregoing subsection except after taking into consideration the administrative arrangements of the Post Office for the time being in force and the facilities available to it for the time being for doing the work in question or, as the case may be, issuing the licences in question and for exercising and performing its other functions.
(7)In consideration Of its complying with a direction given under subsection (1) above, the Post Office shall be entitled to receive payment from the Crown (of an amount to be determined, in the event of a dispute's arising as to the amount thereof, by the Minister), and the direction may include provision as to the person by whom the payment is to be made and the manner in which it is to be defrayed.
(8)In consideration of its complying with a direction given under subsection (2) above with reference to a local authority in Scotland, the Post Office shall be entitled to receive payment from that authority (of an amount to be determined, in the event of a dispute's arising as to the amount thereof, by the Minister).
(9)In consideration of its complying with a direction given under subsection (3) above, the Post Office shall be entitled to receive payment from the Crown in right of Her Majesty's Government in Northern Ireland (of an amount to be determined, in the event of a dispute's arising as to the amount thereof, by the Minister).
(10)No direction shall be given under this section requiring the Post Office to do anything before the appointed day.