Transport Act 1968

6 The Freight Integration Council

(1) There shall be established in accordance with this section a Freight Integration Council, and, without prejudice to section 162(2) of this Act, it shall be the duty of the Council to consider any matter relating to the provision and operation by the relevant transport authorities (that is to say, the Freight Corporation, the Railways Board, the Docks Board, the Waterways Board, the Scottish Group, the British Overseas Airways Corporation, the British European Airways Corporation, the British Airports Authority and the Postmaster General) and by the subsidiaries of those authorities of an integrated freight transport service, being a matter—

(a) which is referred to the Council for their consideration by the Minister or by any of the relevant transport authorities or, being a matter relating to the Scottish Group, by the Secretary of State; or

(b) which appears to the Council without any such reference to be a matter which requires or may require consideration by the Minister or, being a matter relating to the Scottish Group, by the Secretary of State,

and, where it appears to the Council to be desirable, to make recommendations with respect to that matter to the Minister, and, where that matter relates to the Scottish Group, to the Secretary of State ; and—

(i) the Minister may give to the Freight Corporation, the Railways Board, the Docks Board or the Waterways Board, and

(ii) the Secretary of State may give to the Scottish Group,

such directions as appear to him to be requisite in consequence of any recommendation of the Council.

(2) The Council shall consist of—

(a) a chairman and not more than four other members appointed by the Minister from among persons appearing to him to have had wide experience of, and to have shown capacity in, industrial, commercial, financial or economic matters, applied science, or administration;

(b) the chairman of the Freight Corporation;

(c) the chairman of the Railways Board; and

(d) two members who shall be appointed by the Minister—

(i) after consultation with such as appear to him to be appropriate of any organisations appearing to him to represent a substantial number of persons in relevant employment, that is to say, persons who are, or who are due on a transfer and vesting by virtue of this Act of any property, rights or liabilities to become, employed by, or by a subsidiary of, the Railways Board or the Freight Corporation; and

(ii) from among persons appearing to him to have had wide experience of, and to have shown capacity in, the organisation of persons in such employment;

and if any matter affecting any other of the relevant transport authorities arises for consideration by the Council, the Council, except where that authority is the Postmaster General, may invite the chairman of that authority to act as a member of the Council in considering that matter or, where that authority is the Postmaster General, may invite him to appoint a representative so to act.

(3) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, appoint any other person (who shall not be or act as a member of the Council) to assist the Council in their work.

(4) The persons appointed under subsection (2)(a) or (d) of this section shall hold and vacate office in accordance with their terms of appointment and shall, on ceasing to hold office, be eligible for reappointment; but any such person may at any time by notice in writing to the Minister resign his office.

(5) Any person whom the Minister proposes to appoint under subsection (2)(a) or (d) of this section shall, if requested by the Minister so to do, furnish to the Minister such information as the Minister may consider necessary for the purpose of satisfying himself that that person will have no such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially the discharge by that person of his functions as a member of the Council.

(6) The Minister may pay to the persons appointed by him under subsection (2)(a) or (d) or subsection (3) of this section such remuneration and such travelling allowances and allowances in respect of out-of-pocket expenses as the Minister may with the approval of the Treasury determine; and the Minister shall provide the Council with such officers and servants, and such accommodation, as appear to him to be requisite for the proper discharge of the Council's functions.

(7) The Council shall make an annual report to the Minister with respect to the discharge of their functions under this section, and the Minister shall lay a copy of any such report before each House of Parliament.

(8) Section 55 of the Act of 1962 (which provides for the establishment of a Nationalised Transport Advisory Council) shall cease to have effect, and accordingly that Council shall cease to exist and any appointment of any person under that section shall terminate.