(1)A Primary Care Trust may recognise a committee formed for its area, or for its area and that of one or more other Primary Care Trusts, which it is satisfied is representative of—
(a)the persons to whom subsection (2) applies, and
(b)the persons to whom subsection (3) applies.
(2)This subsection applies to—
(a)each medical practitioner who, under a general medical services contract entered into by him, is providing primary medical services in the area for which the committee is formed, and
(b)each medical practitioner who, under a general ophthalmic services contract entered into by him, is providing primary ophthalmic services in that area.
(3)This subsection applies to each other medical practitioner—
(a)who is performing primary medical services or primary ophthalmic services in the area for which the committee is formed—
(i)pursuant to section 83(2)(a) or section 115(4)(a),
(ii)in accordance with section 92 arrangements, or
(iii)under a general medical services contract or a general ophthalmic services contract, and
(b)who has notified the Primary Care Trust that he wishes to be represented by the committee (and has not notified it that he wishes to cease to be so represented).
(4)A committee recognised under this section is called the Local Medical Committee for the area for which it is formed.
(5)Any such committee may delegate any of its functions, with or without restrictions or conditions, to sub-committees composed of members of that committee.
(6)Regulations may require a Primary Care Trust, in the exercise of its functions relating to primary medical services, to consult any committee recognised by it under this section on such occasions and to such extent as may be prescribed.
(7)Regulations may require a Strategic Health Authority, in the exercise of any of its functions which relate to section 92 arrangements, to consult, on such occasions and to such extent as may be prescribed, any committee—
(a)which is recognised by a Primary Care Trust under this section for the area where the services are (or will be) provided under those arrangements, and
(b)which is representative of persons providing or performing those services under those arrangements.
(8)A committee recognised under this section has such other functions as may be prescribed.
(9)A committee recognised under this section must in respect of each year determine—
(a)the amount of its administrative expenses for that year attributable to persons of whom it is representative under subsection (1)(a), and
(b)the amount of its administrative expenses for that year attributable to persons of whom it is representative under subsection (1)(b).
(10)A Primary Care Trust may—
(a)on the request of a committee recognised by it, allot to that committee such sums for defraying the expenses referred to in subsection (9)(a) as the Primary Care Trust may determine, and
(b)deduct the amount of such sums from the remuneration of persons of whom the committee is representative under subsection (1)(a) under the general medical services contracts entered into by those persons with the Primary Care Trust.
(11)A committee recognised under this section must apportion the amount determined by it under subsection (9)(b) among the persons of whom it is representative under subsection (1)(b); and each such person must pay in accordance with the committee’s directions the amount so apportioned to him.
(12)The administrative expenses of a committee include the travelling and subsistence allowances payable to its members.