Gas Act 1972

6 Miscellaneous powers and duties of Corporation

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) below, the Corporation shall have power to do any thing, and to enter into any transaction (whether or not involving the expenditure of money, the borrowing of money, the lending of money, the acquisition of any property or rights or the disposal of any property or rights), which in their opinion is calculated to facilitate the exercise or performance of their functions under any enactment other than this subsection (including any enactment passed or made after the passing of this Act), or is incidental or conducive to the exercise or performance of any such function.

(2) So much of subsection (1) above as relates to the borrowing of money by the Corporation shall have effect subject to the provisions of Part II of this Act.

(3) Notwithstanding the generality of the said subsection (1), the Corporation shall not, except with the consent of the Secretary of State or in accordance with a general authority given by him, guarantee the repayment of, or the payment of interest on, any loan other than one raised by a wholly owned subsidiary of theirs; and it shall be the duty of the Corporation to exercise their control over any such subsidiary so as to secure that that subsidiary does not, except with such consent or in accordance with such an authority, guarantee the repayment of, or the payment of interest on, any such loan.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of the said subsection (1), the Corporation shall have power to subscribe for or acquire any securities of a body corporate, to procure their admission to membership of any such body, and to promote or participate in the promotion of any such body.

(5) The provisions of Schedule 2 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the acquisition of land by the Corporation (and without prejudice to the generality of the said subsection (1) so far as they concern its acquisition by agreement).

(6) The Corporation may with the consent of the Secretary of State promote Bills in Parliament, and may without any such consent oppose any Bill in Parliament.

Any reference in this subsection to a Bill in Parliament includes a reference to an order under the [1936 c. 52.] Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936.

(7) The Corporation may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, enter into and carry out agreements with the Minister of the Crown for the time being discharging the functions expressed by the [1966 c. 21.] Overseas Aid Act 1966 to be conferred on the Minister of Overseas Development whereunder the Corporation act, at the expense of that Minister, as the instrument by means whereof technical assistance is furnished by him in exercise of the power conferred by section 1(1) of that Act; and the Corporation may, with the consent of both the Secretary of State and the said Minister of the Crown, enter into and carry out agreements whereunder the Corporation, for any purpose specified in the said section 1(1), furnish technical assistance in a country or territory outside the United Kingdom against reimbursement to them of the cost of furnishing that assistance.

(8) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that the preceding provisions of this Act, so far as they confer powers on the Corporation, relate only to the capacity of the Corporation as a statutory corporation, and nothing in those provisions shall be construed as authorising the disregard by the Corporation of any enactment or rule of law.