25Official referees' business
(1)After the appointed day no person shall be appointed to the office of official referee and on and after that day functions conferred on official referees by provisions of rules of the Supreme Court, or by any other provision, shall be discharged in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(2)Such of the Circuit judges as the Lord Chancellor may from time to time determine shall discharge the said functions conferred on official referees.
(3)The cases in which jurisdiction or powers of the High Court or a judge of the High Court may be exercised by official referees, whether by virtue of rules of court made under section 15 of the [1956 c. 46.] Administration of Justice Act 1956 or otherwise, shall be known as " official referees' business ", and except where the context otherwise requires, any reference in any enactment, in rules of court or in any other document to an official referee shall, in accordance with this section, be construed as, or where the context requires as including, a reference to a Circuit judge discharging the functions of an official referee.
(4)Subject to rules of court, the distribution of official referees' business, performed in accordance with this section, shall be determined in accordance with directions given by or on behalf of the Lord Chancellor.