National Assistance Act 1948

Re-establishment Centres and Reception Centres.

16 Re-establishment centres.

For the re-establishment of persons in need thereof through lack of regular occupation or of instruction or training the Board may subject to the approval of the Minister of National Insurance provide centres, to be known as re-establishment centres, where (whether in consequence of a decision of the Board under section ten of this Act or otherwise) such persons may attend or may be maintained by the Board, and in either case may be afforded by the Board the occupation, instruction or training requisite to fit them for entry into or return to regular employment.

17 Reception centres.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Board to make provision whereby persons without a settled way of living may be influenced to lead a more settled "life, and the Board shall provide and maintain centres, to be known as reception centres, for the provision of temporary board and lodging for such persons.

(2) The Board may require the councils of counties, county boroughs ard large burghs to exercise on behalf of, and in accordance with any directions given by, the Board the functions of the Board under the last foregoing subsection of providing and maintaining reception centres.

(3) A council may recover from the Board any expenditure under the last foregoing subsection incurred by them with the approval of the Board, given either as respects that expenditure or generally as respects expenditure up to a specified amount.

(4) Before giving directions under subsection (2) of this section the Board shall consult with such local authorities or associations of local authorities as appear to the Board to be concerned.

18 Accommodation in reception centres in special cases.

(1) This section applies to reception centres (hereinafter referred to as " designated reception centres ") designated by the Minister of National Insurance for the purposes of this section on the application of the Board.

(2) Where a person seeks lodging in a designated reception centre and it appears to the Board, or if the centre is being provided by a local authority to the local authority, that the said person persistently resorts to reception centres when capable of maintaining himself, the Board or local authority may direct that he shall only be received into the centre subject to the conditions specified in subsection (4) of this section.

(3) On a direction being given under the last foregoing subsection the person to whom it relates may require that the matter shall be referred to the Appeal Tribunal, and if he so requires—

(a) the direction shall not have effect until the matter has been determined by the Tribunal, and

(b) on any such reference the Tribunal may either quash the direction or order that during such period as may be specified in the order he shall only be admitted to a designated reception centre subject to the conditions specified in the next following subsection.

(4) The conditions hereinbefore referred to are—

(a) that the person in question shall remain at the centre for at least such period from the time he entered it, not exceeding forty-eight hours, as the Board or the local authority providing the centre may require, and

(b) that while the person in question is at the centre he shall do such suitable-work within the curtilage thereof as the Board or local authority may require.

(5) A person received into a centre subject to the said conditions shall, if he fails to comply therewith, be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten pounds or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month.

19 Management of re-establishment and reception centres.

(1) The Board may by regulations make provision for the management of, and preservation of order in, re-establishment centres maintained by the Board and reception centres maintained by them or on their behalf, and such regulations may provide that any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any specified provision thereof shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten pounds or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month.

(2) Regulations under the last foregoing subsection may include provision requiring persons accommodated or received in centres, or specified classes of such persons, to do such work for assisting in the running of the centres as may be specified by or under the regulations.

(3) Rules made by a local authority under Part III of this Act for the preservation of order in premises in which accommodation is provided under the said Part III nay provide that this subsection shall apply in relation to any provision of the rules, and where such rules so provide any person to whom under subsection (5) of section ten of this Act assistance is given by maintenance in the premises and who contravenes or fails to comply with the provision in question shall be liable on summary conviction to such a fine or to such imprisonment as aforesaid.

20 Contributions to centres maintained by voluntary organisations.

The Board may make contributions to the funds of any voluntary organisation maintaining centres for purposes similar to the purposes of re-establishment centres or reception centres maintained by the Board.