55The National Metrological Co-ordinating Unit
(1)There shall continue to be a body corporate called the National Metrological Co-ordinating Unit (in this Part of this Act referred to as " the Unit"), which shall consist of not less than five persons and not more than fifteen persons appointed by the Secretary of State.
(2)A person shall not be qualified for appointment under subsection (1) above unless he is a member of a local authority ; and it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State, before he makes such an appointment, to consult an organisation which in his opinion represents such local authorities as he considers appropriate in connection with the appointment.
(3)In subsection (2) above " local authority " means—
(a)the council of a county or a district in England or Wales,
(b)the council of a region or an islands area in Scotland,
(c)the council of a London borough,
(d)the Common Council of the City of London, and
(e)the Council of the Isles of Stilly.
(4)Schedule 9 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the Unit.
(5)The Secretary of State may, out of money provided by Parliament, make payments to the Unit from time to time for the purpose of enabling the Unit to defray the whole or part of its expenses.
(6)It is hereby declared that the Unit is not to be regarded as the servant or agent of the Crown or as enjoying any status, privilege or immunity of the Crown or as exempt from any tax, duty, rate, levy or other charge whatsoever, whether general or local, and that its property is not to be regarded as property of or held on behalf of the Crown.