National Health Service Act 1977

Section 19.

SCHEDULE 6 Additional Provisions as to Local Advisory Committees

1 (1) Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that a committee formed for Wales, or for the region of a Regional Health Authority, or the area of an Area Health Authority, is representative of—

(a) any category of persons (other than a category mentioned in section 19(1) above) who provide services forming part of the health service, or

(b) two or more of any of the categories mentioned in that subsection and paragraph (a) above,

and that it is in the interests of the health service to recognise the committee, it shall be his duty to recognise it in pursuance of this sub-paragraph, and to determine that it shall be known by a name specified in the determination.

(2) Where a committee recognised in pursuance of sub-paragraph (1) above appears to the Secretary of State to represent categories of persons which include a category mentioned in section 19(1), he shall not be required by virtue of that subsection to recognise a committee representing persons of that category.

2 The Secretary of State may, by notice in writing served on any member of a duly recognised committee, withdraw his recognition of the committee if he considers it expedient to do so—

(a) where the committee is recognised in pursuance of section 19(1) or (3) above or paragraph 1(1)(a) above, with a view to recognising in pursuance of paragraph 1(1)(b) another committee representing categories of persons which include the category represented by the recognised committee ; or

(b) where the committee is recognised in pursuance of paragraph 1(1)(b), with a view to recognising in pursuance of any of the provisions of section 19 and paragraph 1 other committees which together are representative of the categories in question.

3 It is the duty of any duly recognised committee for Wales—

(a) to advise the Secretary of State on the provision by him of services of a kind provided by the categories of persons of whom the committee is representative, and

(b) to perform such other functions as may be prescribed,

4 It is the duty of a committee duly recognised by reference to the region of a Regional Health Authority or the area of an Area Health Authority—

(a) to advise the Authority on the Authority's provision of services of a kind provided by the categories of persons of whom the committee is representative, and

(b) to perform such other functions as may be prescribed,

and it shall be the duty of the Authority to consult the committee with respect to such matters, and on such occasions, as may be prescribed.

5 An Authority may defray such expenses incurred by a committee in performing the duty imposed on the committee by paragraphs 3 or 4 above as the Authority considers reasonable, and those expenses may include travelling and other allowances and compensation for loss of remunerative time at such rates as the Secretary of State may determine with the approval of the Minister for the Civil Service.

In this paragraph " an Authority " means—

(a) in relation to any duly recognised committee for Wales, the Secretary of State;

(b) in relation to the region of a Regional Health Authority, that Regional Health Authority;

(c) in relation to the area of an Area Health Authority, that Area Health Authority.