Imperial College Act 1997

1997 CHAPTER ii

An Act to unite the Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School and the Royal Postgraduate Medical School with the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine; to transfer all rights, properties, assets and liabilities from those medical schools to the said College; to make provision with respect to the merger of the National Heart and Lung Institute with the said College; and for connected purposes.

[15th July 1997]

WHEREAS—

(1)

The Imperial College of Science and Technology was established by Royal Charter in 1907, combining the Royal College of Science, the Royal School of Mines and the City and Guilds College, for the purpose of giving the highest specialised instruction, and providing the fullest equipment for the most advanced training and research in various branches of science, especially in its application to industry:

(2)

The Imperial College of Science and Technology became a school of the University of London (“the University”) in 1908:

(3)

On 22nd June 1988, the Royal Charter of the Imperial College of Science and Technology was amended by Order in Council to change the name of the body to the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (“Imperial College”) with the purpose, inter alia, of carrying on the work of St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School:

(4)

By the [1988 c. xxiv.] Imperial College Act 1988, which came into effect on 1st August 1988, St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School became united with Imperial College:

(5)

Under schemes made pursuant to section 15 of the [1946 c. 81.] National Health Service Act 1946, both the Charing Cross Hospital Medical School and the Westminster Medical School (“the Medical Schools”) were, on 23rd June 1948, constituted bodies corporate and in accordance with those schemes were administered as schools of the University with the main objects of providing for the education of students in medicine and allied subjects, promoting research work for the advancement of medical sciences and engaging in ancillary activities:

(6)

In pursuance of the policy of the University that the academic strength and financial viability of the Medical Schools of the University should be enhanced by the merger of some of those schools, the Medical Schools were dissolved, and a new body corporate constituted, on 1st August 1984 by the [1984 c. xiii.] Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School Act 1984, which also provided for the new body corporate to be known as the Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School and for the schemes made pursuant to section 15 of the National Health Service Act 1946 to be revoked:

(7)

The Royal Postgraduate Medical School was originally incorporated by Royal Charter dated 10th July 1931 and by Royal Charter dated 25th February 1974 it was reconstituted as a University medical school, having the objects of the teaching and practice of and research into the science and art of medicine and such allied subjects as may be decided upon from time to time by the Council of the Royal Postgraduate Medical School:

(8)

The National Heart and Lung Institute (“the Institute”) was originally incorporated in 1973 under the name “the Cardiothoracic Institute” as a company limited by guarantee with the main objects of promoting the study of disease and particularly diseases of the heart, circulation and chest and generally improving the standard of knowledge of the means of prevention, diagnosis and methods of treatment and cure of such diseases:

(9)

The Report of the Inquiry into London’s Health Service, Medical Education and Research under the chairmanship of Sir Bernard Tomlinson, published in October 1992, recommended the linking of London Medical Schools to multi-faculty colleges and it is consistent with the policy of the University that the academic strength and financial viability of the medical schools of the University should be enhanced by the merger of some of those schools with certain multi-faculty institutions of the University:

(10)

On 1st August 1995 the Institute transferred its assets and rights to Imperial College:

(11)

Imperial College, the Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School and the Royal Postgraduate Medical School have agreed that it is expedient that they should be united as one college in accordance with the provisions of this Act and that the Charter of Imperial College should be amended so as to make suitable provision in consequence thereof:

(12)

It is expedient that provision should be made in consequence of the transfer referred to in recital (10) above and for the company incorporating the Institute to be dissolved:

(13)

It is expedient that the other provisions contained in this Act should be enacted:

(14)

The objects of this Act cannot be attained without the authority of Parliament:

May it therefore please Your Majesty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted, by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—