(1)There shall be a Horserace Betting Levy Board (in this Act referred to as “the Levy Board”) which shall be charged with the duty of assessing and collecting in accordance with the subsequent provisions of this Part of this Act, and of applying, subject to those provisions, for purposes conducive to any one or more of the following, that is to say—
(a)the improvement of breeds of horses;
(b)the advancement or encouragement of veterinary science or veterinary education;
(c)the improvement of horse racing,
monetary contributions from bookmakers and the Totalisator Board.
(2)The Levy Board shall consist of a chairman and seven other members of whom—
(a)the chairman and two other members shall be appointed by the Secretary of State and be persons who the Secretary of State is satisfied have no interests connected with horse racing which might hinder them from discharging their functions as members of the Board in an impartial manner;
[F1(b)three members shall be appointed by the Jockey Club (incorporating the National Hunt Committee)]
(d)one member shall be the chairman for the time being of the Bookmakers’ Committee; and
(e)one member shall be the chairman for the time being of the Totalisator Board.
(3)Any person appointed to be a member of the Levy Board under subsection (2)(a) of this section shall hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms of the instrument under which he was appointed; and any person appointed to be a member of the Board under [F2subsection (2)(b)] of this section may be removed from the Board at any time by the body by whom he was appointed.
(4)The Jockey Club, [F2(incorporating the National Hunt Committee)], the Bookmakers’ Committee and the Totalisator Board respectively may from time to time appoint a person to act in the place of such a member of the Levy Board as is mentioned in [F2subsection (2)(b), (d) or (e)], as the case may be, of this section at any meeting of the Levy Board at which that member is unable to be present, and while so acting any such person shall be deemed for the purposes of any act or proceeding of the Levy Board to be a member of that Board.
(5)The Levy Board shall be a body corporate and shall have perpetual succession and a common seal.
(6)The Levy Board may pay to the chairman and the two other members appointed by the Secretary of State such remuneration, and to any member of the Board travelling, subsistence or other allowances at such rates, as the Board may with the approval of the Secretary of State determine.
[F3(6A)The Levy Board may pay such pension or gratuity as the Board may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, determine, to or in respect of the chairman and any other members appointed by the Secretary of State.]
(7)The Levy Board may appoint officers, servants and agents on such terms as to remuneration, pensions or otherwise as the Board may determine.
(8)The Levy Board may regulate their own procedure and make standing orders governing the conduct of their business.
(9)No act or proceeding of the Levy Board shall be questioned on account of any vacancy in the number of the members thereof or on account of the appointment of any member having been defective.
Textual Amendments
F1S. 24(2)(b) substituted for s. 24(2)(b)(c) by Horserace Betting Levy Act 1969 (c. 14), s. 6(2)
F2Words substituted by Horserace Betting Levy Act 1969 (c. 14), s. 6(3)(4)
F3S. 24(6A) inserted by Social Security Act 1985 (c. 53, SIF 113:1), s. 25(2)