The Birmingham Assay Office Order 1989

Miscellaneous amendments of Birmingham Assay Office Acts 1824 and 1902

17.—(1) Section 14 (Purpose of Assay Office, etc) of the Birmingham Assay Office Act 1824 is hereby amended by the substitution for the words following“brought to be assayed in pursuance of this Act” of the words“and other articles of precious metal within the meaning of the Hallmarking Act 1973; and the said Company may turn their resources to account so far as not required for the purposes aforesaid”.

(2) The Birmingham Assay Office Act 1902 is hereby amended–

(a) in section 3 (Application of income of Company)–

(i) by the substitution for the first head of the section beginning with the words“To the Making” of the words“To payments for the purposes mentioned in article 13 (Pensions, employees' clubs, etc) of the Birmingham Assay Office Order 1989”;

(ii) by the substitution for the third and fourth such heads of the following:–

“To the purchase of books, papers, letters, pictures, objects of art or manufacture and other things relating to jewellery or articles of precious metal;

To making grants, donations or subscriptions (including donations of such books, papers, letters, pictures, objects of art or manufacture and other things aforesaid) for philanthropic, charitable, educational or other purposes;”

(b) in section 4 (Provisions as to surplus income)–

(i) by the substitution for subsection (1) of the following subsection:–

“(1) After meeting or providing for all expenditure authorised by the Birmingham Assay Office Acts and Order 1824 to 1989 the remaining surplus income (if any) shall be applied as follows:–

• Such amount of such surplus income as the guardians consider appropriate shall be carried to and invested as a reserve fund or funds and (unless and until the said Company by a three-fourths majority of the guardians present in general meeting specially summoned for the purpose otherwise resolve) the remainder of such surplus shall be applied in the provision of facilities or services or improved facilities or services for customers of the Company and/or in the reduction of charges for assaying and hallmarking subject to the provisions of section 12 of the Hallmarking Act 1973”;

(ii) by the omission of subsection (3).

(c) in section 6 (Application of reserve fund) by the omission of the words in parentheses.