Courts and Legal Services Act 1990

Delegation of powers etc.

12 (1) Subject to any provision to the contrary made by or under any enactment, the Council may arrange for any of its functions (other than those of making rules, schemes or standing orders under Part II of the Act of 1985) to be discharged—

(a) by a committee of the Council; or

(b) by a member of the Council’s staff.

(2) The Council may make rules providing for functions conferred by Part II of the Act of 1985 on any committee established under that Part to be discharged by a committee established under this paragraph.

(3) In exercising its powers under sub-paragraphs (1) or (2), the Council may impose restrictions or conditions on the committee by which the functions concerned are to be discharged.

(4) The Council may make rules providing for any of its committees (including one established under Part II of the Act of 1985) to refer any matter of a kind specified in the rules, in such circumstances as may be so specified, to any other such committee, or to the Council.

(5) Where any matter is referred under sub-paragraph (4) to a committee of the Council or to the Council, that committee or (as the case may be) the Council shall have the same power to deal with it as the committee referring it.

(6) The number of members of a committee established under this paragraph, and the terms on which they are to hold and vacate office, shall be fixed by the Council.

(7) A committee established under this paragraph may include persons who are not members of the Council (whether licensed conveyancers or not) but a majority of the members of any such committee (including the chairman) shall be members of the Council.

(8) The validity of any proceedings of such a committee shall not be affected by any casual vacancy among its members.

(9) Any rules made under this paragraph—

(a) may make such incidental and supplemental provision as the Council considers appropriate; and

(b) may make different provision for different circumstances.