Part VII

Miscellaneous and supplementary

Supplementary powers of the Secretary of State

Subsidy for public post offices.
103
1
The Secretary of State may by order make a scheme for the making of payments for the purpose of—
a
assisting in the provision of public post offices or public post offices of a particular description, or
b
assisting in the provision of services to be provided from public post offices or public post offices of a particular description.
2
A scheme under this section which provides for the making of payments for a purpose falling within subsection (1)(b) shall ensure that no such payments may be made unless the person deciding whether to make the payments considers that the provision of the services concerned from public post offices or public post offices of a particular description would assist in the provision of public post offices or (as the case may be) public post offices of that description.
3
Payments under a scheme under this section shall be made by the Secretary of State or by another person out of money provided by the Secretary of State.
4
A scheme under this section shall specify—
a
the descriptions of payments which may be made under the scheme,
b
the descriptions of persons to whom such payments may be made,
c
the person by whom such payments may be made,
d
criteria to which that person is to have regard in deciding whether to make such payments, and
e
the amounts of such payments or the basis on which such amounts are to be calculated.
5
A scheme under this section may, in particular, provide for—
a
payments under the scheme to be made subject to conditions specified in or determined under the scheme (including conditions as to repayment),
b
the delegation of functions exercisable by virtue of the scheme (including the delegation of any discretion conferred by virtue of the scheme),
c
the modification of the functions of a body established by an enactment, or the functions of the holder of an office created by an enactment, for the purpose of enabling the person concerned to exercise any functions conferred on that person by virtue of the scheme,
d
the payment by the Secretary of State of fees to any person in respect of functions exercised by that person by virtue of the scheme.
6
The power to make a scheme under this section shall not be exercised without the consent of the Treasury.