(1)In this Part—
“employee”, in relation to a body corporate, includes any director or other officer of that body;
“enactment” does not include an enactment contained in Northern Ireland legislation but, subject to that, includes an enactment contained in an Act (whenever passed) and an enactment contained in subordinate legislation (whenever made);
“function”, in relation to a local authority, includes any power to do any thing which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of a function;
“joint board”—
in relation to England and Wales, means a joint or special planning board constituted for a National Park by order under paragraph 1, 3 or 3A of Schedule 17 to the [1972 c. 70.] Local Government Act 1972, or a joint planning board within the meaning of section 2 of the [1990 c. 8.] Town and Country Planning Act 1990;
in relation to Scotland, has the same meaning as in the [1973 c. 65.] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973;
“joint committee”—
in relation to England and Wales, means a joint committee appointed under section 102(1)(b) of the [1972 c. 70.] Local Government Act 1972;
in relation to Scotland, has the same meaning as in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973;
“local authority”—
in relation to England, means a county council, district council or London borough council, the Common Council of the City of London, the sub-treasurer of the Inner Temple, the under treasurer of the Middle Temple, the Council of the Isles of Scilly or a parish council;
in relation to Wales, means a county council, county borough council or community council;
in relation to Scotland, has the same meaning as in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973;
“Minister” has the same meaning as Minister of the Crown has in the Ministers of the [1975 c. 26.] Crown Act 1975;
“Northern Ireland legislation” means—
Northern Ireland legislation within the meaning of section 24 of the [1978 c. 30.] Interpretation Act 1978; and
instruments, within the meaning of the [1954 c. 33 (N.I.).] Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954, made under such legislation;
“office-holder” does not include a Minister, an officer of either House of Parliament, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration or the Health Service Commissioner for England, for Wales or for Scotland but, subject to that, means—
the holder of an office created or continued in existence by a public general Act of Parliament;
the holder of an office the remuneration in respect of which is paid out of money provided by Parliament;
the registrar of companies for England and Wales and the registrar of companies for Scotland; and
the registrar of approved driving instructors;
“officer”—
in relation to a Minister, means any person in the civil service of the Crown who is serving in his department;
in relation to an office-holder, means any member of his staff, or any person in the civil service of the Crown who has been assigned or appointed to assist him in the exercise of his functions;
“the registrar of approved driving instructors” means the officer of the Secretary of State by whom the register of approved driving instructors established in pursuance of section 23 of the [1962 c. 59.] Road Traffic Act 1962 is compiled and maintained;
“subordinate legislation” has the same meaning as in the [1978 c. 30.] Interpretation Act 1978.
(2)In relation to any time before 1st April 1996, subsection (1) above shall have effect as if, in paragraph (b) of the definition of “local authority”, for the words “county borough” there were substituted the word “district”.
(3)Subject to subsection (4) below, this Part shall have effect as if—
(a)any reference to a Minister included references to the Forestry Commissioners and the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce; and
(b)any reference to a local authority included references to a joint board and a joint committee.
(4)Nothing in subsection (3) above shall be construed as enabling those Commissioners or that Board to make an order under section 69 or 70 above; and any order under section 69 above which relates to a function of that Board shall be made by the Ministers (within the meaning of Part I of the [1957 c. 57.] Agriculture Act 1957).
(5)Subject to subsection (6) below, any function of an examiner or other officer of the Patent Office which is conferred by or under any enactment shall be treated for all purposes of this Part as if it were a function of the Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks.
(6)In any case where by virtue of an order made under section 69 above a person is authorised by that Comptroller to exercise any such function as is mentioned in subsection (5) above, section 72(2) above shall have effect as if for paragraphs (a) and (b) there were substituted the words “by or in relation to an examiner or other officer of the Patent Office in his capacity as such”.