Courts Act 1971

44 Abolition of certain offices

(1) The following offices are hereby abolished:—

(a) chairman and deputy chairman of county quarter sessions; recorder, and deputy, assistant or temporary recorder, of a borough (but not the Recorder of London); clerk and deputy clerk of the peace;

(b) any judicial or other office in a court abolished or merged with the High Court by the preceding provisions of this Part of this Act, other than the office of Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster;

(c) clerk of assize, circuit bailiff and any other office the duties of which relate excusively to courts of assize.

(2) The Lord Chancellor may, with the concurrence of the Minister for the Civil Service, by regulations provide for the payment out of money provided by Parliament of compensation to or in respect of persons who suffer loss of employment or loss or diminution of emoluments which is attributable—

(a) to the preceding provisions of this section, or

(b) to the abolition or merger of any court (including courts of assize, courts of quarter sessions and Palatine courts) by this Act, or

(c) to the transfer by this Act of any function to the Lord Chancellor or to any other Minister.

(3) Regulations under this section may—

(a) include provision as to the manner in which and the person to whom any claim for compensation under the regulations is to be made, and for the determination of all questions arising under the regulations,

(b) make special provision for persons who, but for any national service, would be holders of any office or engaged in any employment,

(c) make different provision for different classes of persons and for other different circumstances, and make, or authorise the Lord Chancellor to make, exceptions and conditions,

(d) be framed so as to have effect from a date earlier than the making of the regulations,

but so that regulations having effect from a date earlier than their making shall not place any individual in a worse position than he would have been in if the regulations had been so framed as to have effect only from the date of their making.

(4) Regulations under this section shall be made by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.