(1)There shall be established an Authority, to be known as the British Electricity Authority, and it shall be the duty of that Authority as from the vesting date to develop and maintain an efficient, co-ordinated and economical system of electricity supply for all parts of Great Britain except the North of Scotland District, and for that purpose—
(a)to generate or acquire supplies of electricity;
(b)to provide bulk supplies of electricity for the Area Boards hereinafter established for distribution by those Boards;
(c)to co-ordinate the distribution of electricity by Area Boards and to exercise a general control over the policy of those Boards; and
(d)to provide supplies of electricity for consumers for whom the British Electricity Authority are required by any provision of this Act or may for the time being be authorised by the Minister to provide such supplies.
(2)There shall be established Boards, to be known by the names mentioned in the first column of the First Schedule to this Act, for the areas which are described in general terms in the second column of that Schedule and are to be defined by orders made under this Part of this Act, and it shall be the duty of every such Board as from the vesting date to acquire from the British Electricity Authority bulk supplies of electricity and to plan and carry out an efficient and economical distribution of those supplies to persons in their area who require them.
(3)In this Act and in any amendment made by this Act in any other enactment the British Electricity Authority is referred to as " the Central Authority " and the Boards established under the last foregoing subsection are referred to as " Area Boards " and the Central Authority and the Area Boards, together with the North of Scotland Board, are referred to as " Electricity Boards ".
(4)Any Area Board may—
(a)by agreement with any other Area Board and with tile approval of the Central Authority, give to or acquire from that other Area Board bulk supplies of electricity;
(b)by agreement with any person other than an Electricity Board and with the approval of the Central Authority, acquire bulk supplies of electricity from that person; and
(c)by agreement with any other Area Board, supply electricity to consumers in the area of that other Area Board.
If any Area Board are unable to obtain the agreement of another Area Board under paragraph (c) of this subsection, they may apply to the Central Authority for an authorisation to supply electricity to consumers in such part of the area of that other Area Board as may be specified in the authorisation, and, if the Central Authority gives such an authorisation, the first-named Area Board shall have power to supply electricity in accordance therewith.
(5)The provisions of the last foregoing subsection shall apply in relation to the North of Scotland Board and the North of Scotland District as if that Board were an Area Board and that District were the area of an Area Board, subject to the modification that any approval of the acquisition of bulk supplies of electricity from any person in the North of Scotland District and any authorisation for the supply of electricity by an Area Board to consumers in the North of Scotland District shall be given by the Secretary of State.
(6)In exercising and performing their functions the Electricity Boards shall, subject to and in accordance with any directions given by the Minister or Secretary of State under this Part of this Act—
(a)promote the use of all economical methods of generating, transmitting and distributing electricity;
(b)secure, so far as practicable, the development, extension to rural areas and cheapening of- supplies of electricity;
(c)avoid undue preference in the provision of such supplies;
(d)promote the simplification and standardisation of methods of charge for such supplies;
(e)promote the standardisation of systems of supply and types of electrical fittings;
and shall also promote the welfare, health and safety of persons in the employment of the Boards.
(7)As from the vesting date, the powers and duties of the North of Scotland Board under the Act of 1943, with regard to the generation of electricity by water power shall extend to the generation of electricity by any other means, and the North of Scotland District shall be altered so as to include the county of the city of Dundee, the whole of the counties of Angus and Perth and the county of Kinross, and so as to exclude the parish of Rosneath in the county of Dunbarton.
(1)It shall be the duty of the Central Authority and of any Area Board, in so far as they may be requested by the Central Authority to do so, to conduct research into matters affecting the supply of electricity, and the Central Authority and, in so far as they may be so requested, any Area Board may assist other persons conducting such research.
(2)It shall be the duty of the Central Authority and every Area Board, in consultation with any organisation appearing to them to be appropriate, to make provision for advancing the skill of persons employed by them and for improving the efficiency of their equipment and the manner in which that equipment is to be used, including provision by them and the assistance of the provision by others of facilities for training and education.
(3)The Central Authority shall have power—
(a)to manufacture electrical plant and electrical fittings;
(b)to sell, hire or otherwise supply electrical plant and electrical fittings and to instal, repair, maintain or remove any electrical plant and electrical fittings; and
(c)to carry on all such other activities as it may appear to the Authority to be requisite, advantageous, or convenient for them to carry on for or in connection with the performance of their duties under the foregoing section or with a view to making the best use of any assets vested in them by or under this Act:
Provided that this subsection shall not empower the Central Authority to manufacture electrical plant or electrical fittings for export.
(4)Any Area Board shall have power—
(a)to sell, hire or otherwise supply electrical fittings and to instal, repair, maintain or remove any electrical fittings; and
(b)to carry on all such other activities as it may appear to the Board to be requisite, advantageous or convenient for them to carry on for or in connection with the exercise and performance of their functions under the foregoing section or with a view to making the best use of any assets vested in them by or under this Act:
Provided that nothing in this subsection shall empower an Area Board to exercise or perform any of the functions referred to in paragraph (a) of the last foregoing subsection or paragraph (b) of the last foregoing subsection so far as it relates to the sale, hire or supply of electrical plant.
(5)The Central Authority and any Area Board shall have power to do any thing and to enter into any transaction (whether or not involving the expenditure, the borrowing in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the lending of money, the acquisition of any property or rights or the disposal of any property or rights not in their opinion required for the proper exercise or performance of their functions) which in their opinion is calculated to facilitate the proper performance of their duties under the foregoing section or the exercise or performance of any of their functions under the foregoing provisions of this section, or is incidental or conducive thereto, but nothing in this subsection shall be taken as empowering an Area Board to exercise or perform any functions specifically excluded from the last foregoing subsection.
(6)Subject to the approval of the Minister, the Central Authority may authorise any Area Board to exercise or perform on behalf of the Central Authority any of the functions of that Authority which are to be exercised or performed wholly or mainly in the area of the Area Board (not including any functions specifically excluded from subsection (4) of this section) and any such authorisation may be subject to conditions and limitations and may be so framed as to empower the Area Board to exercise or perform any of the functions delegated to them through agents.
(7)Any Electricity Board may, by agreement with any other Electricity Board, use for the purposes of any of their functions any works, plant or other property of that other Board, and, if it appears to the Minister that such use cannot be obtained by agreement and is required for the purpose of securing efficient and economical services, he may by order authorise such use on such terms and conditions (including the payment of money) as he may determine.
(8)Subsections (1), (2), (3) and (5) of this section shall, subject to the provisions of the Act of 1943, apply to the North of Scotland Board in like manner as they apply to the Central Authority, subject to the following modifications:—
(a)for the reference in subsection (5) to borrowing in accordance with the provisions of this Act there shall be substituted a reference to borrowing in accordance with the Act of 1943; and
(b)other references to this Act and references to the foregoing section shall include references to the Act of 1943;
and any order under the last foregoing subsection affecting the North of Scotland Board shall be made by the Minister and the Secretary of State jointly.
(9)For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that the foregoing provisions of this Act relate only to the capacity of Electricity Boards as statutory corporations, and nothing in those provisions shall be construed as authorising the disregard by any such Board of any enactment or rule of law.
(1)The Central Authority and every Area Board shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and power to hold land without; licence in mortmain.
(2)The Central Authority shall be constituted as follows:—
(a)the chairman and not less than four or more than six other members shall be appointed by the Minister from amongst persons appearing to him to be qualified as having had experience of, and having shown capacity in, the generation and supply of electricity," industrial, commercial or financial matters, applied science, administration, or the organisation of workers ;
(b)four other members shall be appointed by the Minister from amongst the persons for the time being holding the office of chairman of an Area Board, and such appointments shall be made from the Area Boards in rotation; and
(c)there shall be one other member who shall be the person for the time being holding the office of chairman of the North of Scotland Board:
Provided that, until the Area Boards have been established, the Central Authority shall be deemed to be properly constituted notwithstanding that the members to be appointed under paragraph (b) of this subsection have not been appointed or have not all been appointed.
(3)Every Area Board shall be constituted as follows:—
(a)the chairman and not less than five or more than seven other members shall be appointed by the - Minister after consultation with the Central Authority from amongst persons appearing to the Minister to be qualified as having had experience of, and having shown capacity in, electricity supply, local government, industrial, commercial, agricultural or financial matters, applied science, administration, or the organisation of workers; and
(b)there shall be one other member who shall be the person for the time being holding the office of chairman of the Consultative Council established under the following provisions of this Part of this Act for the area of the Area Board:
Provided that, until the Consultative Council has been established, an Area Board shall be deemed to be properly constituted notwithstanding that the Board does not include the member referred to in paragraph (b) of this subsection and, during any period before the vesting date, an Area Board shall be deemed to be properly constituted if the chairman and three other members have been appointed.
(4)A person shall be disqualified for being appointed or being a member of the Central Authority or any Area Board so long as he is a member of the Commons House of Parliament.
(5)The Minister shall appoint one or more of the members of the Central Authority to be deputy chairman or deputy chairmen of that Authority, and shall, after consultation with the Central Authority, appoint one of the members of each of the Area Boards to be deputy chairman of that Board.
(6)There shall be paid to the members of the Central Authority and to the members of each of the Area Boards such remuneration (whether by way of salaries or fees) and such allowances as may be determined by the Minister with the approval of the Treasury, and, on the retirement or death of any member in whose case it may be so determined to make such provision, such a pension to or in respect of that member as may be so determined.
Any such remuneration, allowances and pensions as aforesaid shall be paid by the Central Authority or, as the case may be, the Area Board concerned.
(7)The Minister may make regulations with respect to—
(a)the appointment of, and the tenure and vacation of office by, the members of the Central Authority and any Area Board;
(b)the quorum, proceedings, meetings and determinations of the -Central Authority and any Area Board;
(c)the execution of instruments and the mode of entering into contracts by and on behalf of the Central Authority or any Area Board, and the proof of documents purporting to be executed, issued or signed by the Central Authority or any Area Board or a member or officer thereof; and .
(d)any other matters supplementary or incidental to the matters aforesaid for which provision appears to the Minister to be necessary or expedient.
(8)Subject to the provisions of any regulations made under the last foregoing subsection, the Central Authority, and every Area Board shall have power to regulate their own procedure.
(1)The Minister shall before the vesting date by order made after consultation with the Central Authority define the areas for which Area Boards are established under this Act, and each area shall be so defined by reference to a map, and copies of the map of each area shall be available for inspection at such places and at such times as may be specified in a notice published by the Minister in the London Gazette and, in the case of an area in Scotland, the Edinburgh Gazette, and (in all cases) in such newspapers circulating in the area as the Minister thinks fit.
(2)The Minister may, after consultation with the Central Authority and after giving to each Area Board concerned an opportunity to make representations, by order vary the areas for which Area Boards are established under this Act, and such variation may involve not only the variation of the boundaries of existing areas but also the formation of a- new area from any part of an existing area or parts of existing areas or the amalgamation of an existing area with any other such area or part thereof.
Any such order shall define by reference to a map the new areas or new boundaries constituted by the order, and copies of any such map shall be available for inspection in like manner as copies of the maps defining the original areas.
(3)If any question arises as to the exact boundary of any area, as defined by any order made under this section, it shall be determined by the Minister, after giving to the Area Boards concerned an opportunity to make representations on such question.
(4)An order made under subsection (2) of this section the effect of which is to increase or reduce the total number of such areas as aforesaid, or to constitute a new area for which a new Area Board is required to be established under the next following subsection, shall not be made unless a draft thereof has been laid before Parliament and has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.
(5)An order made under subsection (2) of this section shall state whether the areas affected by the order are to be regarded as the areas of existing Area Boards, or whether any such area is to be regarded as a new area for which a new Area Board is required to be established, and in the latter case a new Board shall be established in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Act and those provisions shall apply to that Board accordingly, and it shall be known by such name as may be specified in the order.
(6)An order made under subsection (2) of this section shall, so far as it appears to the Minister to be necessary or expedient in consequence of the variation of areas or the establishment of a new Area Board, provide—
(a)for the transfer of property, rights, liabilities and obligations from one Area Board to another;
(b)for the modification of agreements for the purpose of giving effect to the transfer of rights, liabilities and obligations thereunder from one Area Board to another and, in a case where part only of the rights, liabilities and obligations under any agreement are transferred, for substituting for that agreement separate agreements in the requisite terms, and for any apportionments and indemnities consequent thereon;
(c)for the purpose of transferring part of the land comprised in any Jease vested in any such Board to another such Board, for the severance of that lease, and for apportionments and indemnities consequent thereon;
(d)for dissolving any Area Board the whole of whose functions are to be exercised by another Area Board or Boards, and for winding up the affairs of the Board to be dissolved; and
(e)for such other financial adjustments between the Boards concerned as may be required in consequence of any such transfer, and for any other matter supplementary to or consequential on the matters aforesaid, including the continuation of legal proceedings.
(7)The foregoing provisions of this section except subsection (1) shall apply to the North of Scotland Board and the North of Scotland District as if that Board were an Area Board and that District were the area of an Area Board, subject to the modification that an order or determination affecting that Board and District shall be made by the Minister and the Secretary of State jointly.
(1)The Minister may, after consultation with the Central Authority, give to that Authority such directions of a general character as to the exercise and performance by the Authority of their functions under this Act as appear to the Minister to be requisite in the national interest, and the Authority shall give effect to any such directions.
(2)In carrying out such measures of reorganisation Or such works of development as involve substantial outlay on capital account, and in giving directions to any Area Board with respect to such measures or works, the Central Authority shall act in accordance with a general programme settled from time to time in consultation with the Minister.
(3)In the exercise and performance of their functions as to training, education and research, the Central Authority shall act in accordance with a general programme settled as aforesaid.
(4)The Minister may, after consultation with the Central Authority, give to that Authority directions as to the use or disposal of any assets vested in the Authority by or under this Act which are not connected with the generation, transmission or distribution of electricity, and the Authority shall give effect to any such directions.
(5)The Central Authority shall afford to the Minister facilities for obtaining information with respect to the property and activities of the Authority, and furnish him with returns, accounts and other information with respect thereto, and afford to him facilities for the verification of information furnished, in such manner and at such times as he may require.
(6)The Central Authority shall furnish the Minister with returns, accounts and other information with respect to the property and activities of all Area Boards, in such manner and at such times as he may reasonably require.
(7)The foregoing provisions of this section, except subsection (5) and the provisions relating to Area Boards, shall apply to the North of Scotland Board in like manner as they apply to the Central Authority, subject to the modification that references to the Secretary of State shall be substituted for references to the Minister.
(1)The Central Authority may give such directions to Area Boards as appear to the Central Authority to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of co-ordinating the distribution of electricity by Area Boards and: exercising a general control over the policy of those Boards, and every Area Board shall give effect to, any such, directions given to them by the Central Authority.
(2)In the exercise and performance of their functions as to training, education and research, every Area Board shall act in accordance with a general programme settled from time to time in consultation with the Minister.
(3)The Minister may after consultation with the Central Authority give directions to any Area Board as to the use or disposal of any assets vested in the Board by or under this Act which are not connected with the distribution of electricity, and the Board shall give effect to any such directions.
(4)Every Area Board shall afford to the Central Authority and, if the Minister so requires, to the Minister, facilities for obtaining information with respect to the property and activities of the Area Board, and furnish the Central Authority and, if he so requires, the Minister, with returns, accounts, and other information with respect thereto, and afford to the Central Authority and the Minister facilities for the verification of information furnished, in such manner and at such times as the Central Authority or the Minister may require.
(1)A Consultative Council shall be established for the purposes mentioned in this section for the area of every Area Board.
(2)Each of the said Councils shall consist of not less than twenty nor more than thirty persons to be appointed by the Minister of whom—
(a)not less than half nor more than three-fifths shall be appointed from a panel of persons nominated from amongst members of local authorities in the area by such associations as appear to the Minister to represent those authorities; and
(b)the remainder shall be appointed, after consultation with such bodies as the Minister thinks fit, to represent agriculture, commerce, industry, labour and the general interests of consumers of electricity and other persons or organisations interested in the development of electricity in the area.
In making the appointments mentioned in paragraph (b) of this subsection, the Minister shall have particular regard to any nominations made to him by the bodies aforesaid of persons who are recommended by them as having both adequate knowledge of the requirements of the interests to be represented and also the ability to exercise a wide and impartial judgment on the matters to be dealt with by the Council generally.
(3)A person shall be disqualified for being appointed or being the chairman of a Consultative Council so long as he is a member of the Commons House of Parliament, but a member of a Consultative Council other than the chairman shall not by reason of his appointment as such a member be disqualified for being elected to, or for sitting, or voting as a "member of, the Commons House of Parliament.
(4)Each of the said Councils shall be charged with the duties—
(a)of considering any matter affecting the distribution of electricity in the area, including the variation of tariffs and the provision of new or improved services and facilities within the area, being a matter which is the subject of a representation made to them by consumers or other persons requiring supplies of electricity in that area, or which appears to them to be a matter to which- consideration ought to be given apart from any such representation, and where action appears to them to be requisite as to any such matter, of notifying their conclusions to the Area Board; and
(b)of considering and reporting to the Area Board on any such matter which may be referred to them by that Board.
(5)Each of the said Councils shall be informed by the Area Board of that Board's general plans and arrangements for exercising and performing their functions under this Act and may make representations thereon to that Board.
(6)The Area Board shall consider any conclusion, reports and representations notified or made to them by the Council for their area under the two last foregoing subsections and the Council may, after consultation with the Area Board, make representations to the Central Authority on matters arising thereout.
(7)Where representations have been so made to the Central Authority and it appears to that Authority, after consultation with the Area Board and with the Council, that a defect is disclosed in that Area Board's general plans and arrangements for the exercise and performance of their functions under this Act, the Central Authority may give to the Area Board such directions as they think fit for remedying the defect and the Area Board shall give effect to any such directions.
(8)A Consultative Council may, after consultation with the Central Authority, make representations to the Minister on any matters arising out of representations made by them to the Central Authority under subsection (6) of this section, and if it appears to the Minister, after consultation with the Area Board and with the Council, that a defect is disclosed in the Area Board's general plans and arrangements for the exercise and performance of their functions under this Act, he may notify the defect to the Central Authority, and thereupon the Central Authority shall give to the Area Board such directions as they think necessary for remedying the defect, and the Area Board shall give effect to any such directions.
(9)Every Consultative Council shall prepare and submit to the Minister a scheme for the appointment by them of committees or individuals to be local representatives of the Council in such localities as may be specified in the scheme, and it shall be the duty of such committees and individuals to consider the particular circumstances and requirements of those localities with respect to the distribution of electricity and to make representations to the Council thereon, and to be available for receiving on behalf of the Council representations from consumers in those localities; and, if the scheme is approved by the Minister, the Consultative Council shall put it into effect.
A member of a Consultative Council shall be eligible for appointment under such a scheme, either as a member of a committee or as an individual, but membership of the Council shall not be a necessary qualification for such an appointment.
(10)A Consultative Council may, subject to the approval of the Minister as to numbers, appoint such officers as appear to the Council to be requisite for the proper exercise and performance of their functions (including functions of any committee or individual appointed under the last foregoing subsection) , and there shall be paid by the Central Authority—
(a)to the members of the said Councils or of any such committee or to any such individual such allowances in respect of any loss of remunerative time and such travelling allowances and allowances in respect of their out-of-pocket expenses; and
(b)to the officers of the said Councils such remuneration (whether by way of salary or fees) and such allowances,
as the Minister may with the approval of the Treasury determine.
(11)A Consultative Council shall be furnished by the Area Board concerned with such office accommodation as appears to the Board to be requisite for the proper exercise and performance of their functions (including the functions of any such committee or individual as aforesaid or as may be directed by the Minister.
(12)Where, in consequence of the variation of the areas of Area Boards under the foregoing provisions of this Part of this Act, it is necessary to establish new Consultative Councils under this section, the Minister may by order provide for dissolving and winding up the affairs of any Consultative Council who cease to exercise or perform functions by reason of the variation.
(13)Provision may be made by regulations in relation to Consultative Councils for any matters for which provision may be made by regulations under section three of this Act in relation to the Central Authority and any Area Board, and for the appointment of a chairman of each of the said Councils, with or without provision for another to act in his place, and, subject to the provisions of any such regulations, the said Councils shall have power to regulate their own procedure.
(14)The foregoing provisions of this section other than subsection (8) shall apply to the North of Scotland Board as if that Board were an Area Board and the North of Scotland District were the area of an Area Board, subject to the modifications that—
(a)for references to the Minister there shall be substituted references to the Secretary of State; and
(b)for the references to the Central Authority there shall be substituted—
(i)in subsections (6) and (7) references to the Secretary of State, and
(ii)in subsection (10) references to the North of Scotland Board.
(1)The Central Authority shall, as soon as possible after the end of each financial year, make to the Minister a report on the exercise and performance by them of their functions during that year and on their policy and programmes, and every Area Board shall, as soon as possible after the end of each financial year, make to the Central Authority a report on the exercise and performance by them of their functions during that year and on their policy and programmes.
(2)The report of the Central Authority for any year shall set out any direction given by the Minister to the Authority during that year unless the Minister has notified the Authority his opinion that it is against the interests of national security to do so, and the Central Authority shall submit with their report for any year copies of the reports for that year of the Area Boards.
(3)The Minister may give directions as to the form of the reports to be made under this section, and the. Central Authority and Area Boards shall comply with any such directions.
(4)A Consultative Council may, as respects any financial year of the Area Board for their area or, if their area is the North of Scotland District, of the North of Scotland Board, make to the Board a report on the exercise and performance by the Council of their functions during that year and any such report shall be. made to the Board as soon as possible after the end of the said financial year, and the Board shall include that report in the report made by them under this section or, as the case may be, under section twenty-three of the Act of 1943.
(5)The Minister shall lay before each House of Parliament a copy of the report made for each financial year by the Central Authority together with copies of the reports of the Area Boards, and shall at the same time lay before each House of Parliament a report with respect to the exercise of his functions during that year under this Act and the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1882 to 1936, except as regards matters which in his opinion it is against the interests of national security to disclose.
(1)The Minister may authorise any Electricity Board to purchase compulsorily any land which they require for any purpose connected with the discharge of their functions, and the [9 & 10 Geo. 6. c. 49.] Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) Act, 1946 (except section two thereof), shall apply, in relation to any such compulsory purchase, as if the Board were a local authority within the meaning of that Act and as if this Act had been in force immediately before the commencement of that Act.
(2)In this section the expression " land " includes easements and other rights over land, and an Electricity Board may be authorised under this section to purchase compulsorily a right to place an electric line across land, whether above or below ground, and to repair and maintain the line, without purchasing any other interest in the land.
In relation to the compulsory purchase of any such right to place an electric line across land, the said Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) Act, 1946 (except section two thereof), and the enactments incorporated therewith shall have effect as if references (whatever the terms used) to the land comprised in the compulsory purchase order were construed, where the context so requires, as references to the land across which the line is to be placed, and references to the obtaining or taking possession of the first-mentioned land were construed as references to the exercise of the said right.
(3)Section fourteen of the Schedule to the [62 & 63 Vict. c. 19.] Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act, 1899 (as incorporated with this Act), so far as the said section relates to the Postmaster General, shall apply to the placing of an electric line in pursuance of any right purchased under this section in like manner as it applies to the execution of works involving the placing of lines in, under, along, or across any street or public bridge.
(4)This section shall, in relation to the North of Scotland Board, only apply to the purchase of land or rights other than land or rights required by them for the purposes of a constructional scheme under the Act of 1943, and shall apply with the substitution of a reference to the Secretary of State for the reference to the Minister.
The Central Authority and any Area Board may, with the consent of the Minister, and the North of Scotland Board may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, promote Bills in Parliament and any Electricity Board may oppose any Bill in Parliament, and this power shall be in lieu of any power to promote or oppose Bills which an Electricity Board might otherwise possess under any of the provisions of this Act as successors to any authorised undertakers.
(1)Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, nothing in this Act shall be deemed to exempt any Electricity Board from any liability for any tax, duty, rate, levy or other charge whatsoever whether general or local.
(2)For the purposes of section fifty-two of the [9 & 10 Geo. 6. c. 64.] Finance Act, 1946 (which exempts from stamp duty certain documents connected with nationalisation, schemes) any transfers of property from one Electricity Board to another effected by an order made under this Act shall be deemed to be part of the initial putting into force of such a scheme.
(1)The [56 & 57 Vict. c. 61.] Public Authorities Protection Act, 1893, and section twenty-one of the [2 & 3 Geo. 6. c. 21.] Limitation Act, 1939, shall not apply to any action, prosecution or proceeding against any Electricity Board or in respect of any act, neglect or default done or committed by a servant or agent of any such Board in his capacity as a servant or agent of theirs.
(2)In their application to any such action as aforesaid sections two and three of the Limitation Act, 1939 (which relate to limitation of actions of contract and tort and certain other actions), shall have effect with the substitution therein for references to six years of references to three years.