2004 No. 3459

OPTICIANS

The General Optical Council (Registration and Enrolment) (Amendment No. 2) Rules Order of Council 2004

Made

Coming into force

At the Council Chamber, Whitehall, the 21st day of December 2004

By the Lords of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council

Whereas, in exercise of their powers under section 10 of the Opticians Act 19891 and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, the General Optical Council have made the Registration and Enrolment (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2004 as set out in the Schedule to this Order:

And whereas by section 34 of that Act such Rules shall not come into force until approved by Order of the Privy Council:

Now, therefore, Their Lordships, having taken these Rules into consideration, are hereby pleased to, and do hereby, approve them.

1

This Order may be cited as the General Optical Council (Registration and Enrolment) (Amendment No. 2) Rules Order of Council 2004 and shall come into force on 1st January 2005.

2

The General Optical Council (Registration and Enrolment (Amendment) Rules) Order of Council 20042 is hereby revoked.

G C DonaldDeputy Clerk of Privy Council

SCHEDULEGENERAL OPTICAL COUNCIL

The Registration and Enrolment (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2004

In exercise of their powers under section 10 of the Opticians Act 1989 and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, the General Optical Council hereby make the following Rules—

1

These Rules may be cited as the Registration and Enrolment (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2004 and shall come into force on 1st January 2005.

2

In the Registration and Enrolment Rules 1976 (which in their original form are scheduled to the General Optical Council (Registration and Enrolment Rules) Order of Council 19773 the Tables shown in the Appendix shall be substituted by the following:

TABLE AFees payable by Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (Rules 20 to 23)

Registration fee:

For applications in respect of a registration period commencing on or after the date upon which these rules come into force but ending on or before 31st March 2005

£135

For applications in respect of a registration period commencing on or after 1st April 2005

£169

Retention fee:

£169

Restoration fee:

For restorations effected on or after the date upon which these rules come into force, but on or before 31st March 2005

£56

For restorations effected on or after 1st April 2005

£70

Transfer fee:

For applications for transfer made on or after the date upon which these rules come into force, but on or before 31st March 2005

£56

For applications for transfer made on or after 1st April 2005

£70

TABLE BFees payable by Bodies Corporate (Rules 25 to 28)

Enrolment fee:

For applications in respect of an enrolment period commencing on or after the date upon which these rules come into force, but ending on or before 31st March 2005

£135

For applications in respect of an enrolment period commencing on or after 1st April 2005

£169

Retention fee:

£169

Restoration fee:

For restorations effected on or after the date upon which these rules come into force, but on or before 31st March 2005

£56

For restorations effected on or after 1st April 2005

£70

Transfer fee:

For applications for transfer made on or after the date upon which these rules come into force, but on or before 31st March 2005

£56

For applications for transfer made on or after 1st April 2005

£70

3

The Registration and Enrolment (Amendment) Rules 2004 are hereby revoked4.

Sealed on the 3rd day of December 2004.

Attested by:

M SalmonM. BlackP. C. CoeMember of CouncilMember of CouncilRegistrar

(This note is not part of the Order)

The rules approved by this Order increase with effect from 1st January 2005 the fees payable to the General Optical Council by ophthalmic and dispensing opticians and bodies corporate carrying on business as opticians for registration, enrolment or retention in, restoration to and transfer within the register of opticians. The fees were last fixed with effect from 31st March 2004 and have been increased by 25.1% per cent. The basic registration fee element is unchanged and the increase is accounted for by the introduction of the levy for the Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS) and for continuing Education and Training (CET). Registrants currently pay for the OCCS through their Federation of Dispensing Opticians, Association of Optical Practitioners or Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) contributions—this arrangement will cease. Both the College of Optometrists and ABDO run voluntary schemes for CET at present. These will cease and the membership fees for these bodies in future will reflect the provision of CET rather than its administration.