(1)The Secretary of State may at any time by order—
(a)on the application of the Council, provide for the constitution of an assay office at such place as may be specified in the order; or
(b)on the application of the Council, provide for the closure and dissolution of any assay office or their amalgamation with another assay office; or
(c)on the application of an assay office, confer, vary or abolish duties or powers imposed or conferred on the assay office under any local statutory provision affecting their undertaking and for that purpose repeal or amend any such provision.
(2)The Secretary of State may, without such application to him as aforesaid, if he thinks fit and after consultation with the Council and any assay office appearing to him to be concerned, make an order for any of the purposes mentioned in subsection (1) of this section.
(3)Any order made under this section may contain such incidental, consequential and supplementary provisions as the Secretary of State thinks necessary or expedient for the purposes of the order, including provisions for the amendment, adaptation or repeal of any local statutory provision.
(4)The provisions of Part I of Schedule 6 to this Act shall have effect with respect to orders under subsection (1) of this section upon application therefor to the Secretary of State; and the provisions of the said Part I shall, subject to the modifications specified in Part II of the said Schedule, have effect with respect to orders under subsection (2) of this section by the Secretary of State without such application being made to him.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 16(1)(c) modified (19.7.1995) by 1995 c. v, s. 3 and by 1995 c. vi, s. 3.
S. 16(1)(c) modified (19.7.1995) by 1995 c. v, s. 5(4) and by 1995 c. vi, s. 5(5).
S. 16(1)(c) modified (retrospectively) (29.2.1996) by 1996 c. i, s. 1, Sch. para. 3.
S. 16(1)(c) modified (29.2.1996) by 1996 c. i, s. 1, Sch. para. 5(5).