Industry Act 1975

Section 32.

SCHEDULE 6 Advisory Committees

1 The Secretary of State, with the consent of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, shall draw up and from time to time revise—

(a) a panel of persons who have experience in industrial affairs as employers or managers ;

(b) a panel of persons who have experience in industrial affairs as representatives of workers ;

(c) a panel of persons who are barristers or solicitors ; and

(d) a panel of persons who are advocates or solicitors who have practised in Scotland.

2 Of the panels—

(a) that mentioned in paragraph 1(c) above shall be appointed with the consent of the Lord Chancellor, and

(b) that mentioned in paragraph 1(d) above shall be appointed with the consent of Lord President of the Court of Session.

3 When either of the Ministers is required to make a reference under section 32 above or makes such a reference himself, he shall constitute, for the purpose of advising him, a committee consisting of three persons, namely—

(a) one from the panel mentioned in paragraph 1(a) above,

(b) one from the panel mentioned in paragraph 1(b) above, and

(c) one from the relevant panel of lawyers ;

and for the purposes of this Schedule, " the relevant panel of lawyers " means—

(i) the panel mentioned in paragraph 1(d) above, if the Minister constituting the committee considers, having regard to any representations made by the company or companies concerned or by the authorised representative of a relevant trade union, that this is appropriate, and

(ii) in any other case, the panel mentioned in paragraph 1(c) above.

4 The Minister constituting a committee shall appoint as the committee's chairman the member of the committee appointed to it from the relevant panel of lawyers.

5 A committee may, at the discretion of the chairman, where it appears expedient to do so, call in the aid of one or more persons who appear to the committee to be specially qualified for the purpose, and may settle its advice wholly or partly with the assistance of that person or persons.

6 A committee shall sit in private.

7 The Minister appointing a committee shall pay its expenses, including such (if any) fees for its members and for any person called in under paragraph 5 above as he may, with the approval of the Minister for the Civil Service, determine.

8 Any such Minister may make arrangements for securing that such of his officers as he considers are required are available to assist a committee.

9 (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations as to the procedure for or in connection with references to advisory committees and the making by such committees of reports to the Minister concerning such references.

(2) Without-prejudice to the generality of sub-paragraph (1) above, the regulations may prescribe the time within which representations are to be made.

(3) Regulations under this paragraph shall be made by statutory instrument.

(4) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this paragraph shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.