(1)Of the members of the Council's Midwifery Committee the majority shall be practising midwives.
(2)The Council shall consult the Committee on all matters relating to midwifery and the Committee shall, on behalf of the Council, discharge such of the Council's functions as are assigned to them either by the Council or by the Secretary of State by order.
(3)The Council shall assign to the Committee any matter involving a proposal to make, amend or revoke rules under section 15 below; and—
(a)the Committee shall consider the proposal and report on it to the Council;
(b)the Council shall take no action on the report until they have consulted the National Boards with respect to the matters dealt with in it.
(4)The Secretary of State shall not approve rules relating to midwifery practice unless satisfied that they are framed in accordance with recommendations of the Council's Midwifery Committee.
(5)Any matter which is assigned to the Midwifery Committee otherwise than under subsection (3) shall be finally dealt with by the Committee on behalf of the Council, so far as the Council expressly authorise the Committee to deal finally with it; and the Committee shall make a report to the Council as to the way in which they have dealt with the matter.