Fire Precautions Act 1971

43 Interpretation

(1) In this Act—

• " building " includes a temporary or movable building and also includes any permanent structure and any temporary structure other than a movable one;

• " building regulations " means regulations under section 4 of the [1961 c. 64.] Public Health Act 1961;

• " contravention " includes failure to comply, and " contravene " has a corresponding meaning ;

• " the court ", except in section 28 of this Act and the Schedule thereto, means, in relation to premises in England or Wales, a magistrates' court acting for the petty sessions area in which they are situated and, in relation to premises in Scotland, the sheriff within whose jurisdiction they are situated ;

• " designated use " has the meaning assigned by section 1(1) of this Act;

• " fire authority ", in relation to any premises or proposed premises, means the authority discharging in the area in which the premises are or are to be situated the functions of fire authority under the [1947 c. 41.] Fire Services Act 1947;

• " fire certificate " has the meaning assigned by section 1(1) of this Act;

• " fire inspector " means an inspector or assistant inspector appointed under section 24 of the Fire Services Act 1947;

• " furniture " includes furnishings (including wall-coverings and ceiling-coverings of all sorts, as well as floor-coverings) ;

• " local authority " means—

  (a)

  as respects England and Wales, the council of a county borough, London borough or county district, the Common Council of the City of London or the Council of the Isles of Scilly ;

  (b)

  as respects Scotland, the council of a county or the town council of a burgh;

• " notice " means a notice in writing;

• " the notified person " and " the specified position " have the meanings assigned by section 3(8) of this Act;

• " owner "—

  (a)

  as respects England and Wales, means the person for the time being receiving the rackrent of the premises in connection with which the word is used, whether on his own account or as agent or trustee for another person, or who would so receive the rackrent if the premises were let at a rackrent; and

  (b)

  as respects Scotland, means the person for the time being entitled to receive or who would, if the same were let, be entitled to receive, the rents of the premises in connection with which the word is used and includes a trustee, factor, tutor or curator, and in the case of public or municipal property, applies to the persons to whom the management thereof is entrusted;

• " premises " means building or part of a building;

• " prescribed " means prescribed by regulations made under this Act by the Secretary of State ; " the relevant building ", in relation to—

  (a)

  any premises in relation to which a notice under section 3 of this Act is in force; or

  (b)

  any premises which are the subject of an application for a fire certificate ; or

  (c)

  any premises with respect to which a fire certificate is in force, means the building constituting or comprising the premises in question.

(2) Except in so far as this Act otherwise expressly provides, the provisions of this Act shall not be construed as affecting any requirement or restriction imposed by or under any other enactment, whether contained in a public general Act or in a local or private Act.

(3) Except in so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to any enactment is a reference to it as amended, and includes a reference to it as applied, by or under any other enactment, including this Act.