In this Act, except where the context otherwise requires—

• " acquiring authority ", in relation to a compulsory purchase, means the Minister, local authority or other person who may be authorised to purchase the land compulsorily,

• " compulsory purchase order " means an order under section 2(1) above,

• " confirming authority ", in relation to a compulsory purchase, means, where the acquiring authority is not a Minister, the Minister having power to authorise the acquiring authority to purchase the land compulsorily,

• " land "—

  1. a

     includes messuages, tenements and hereditaments, and

  2. b

     in relation to compulsory purchase under any enactment, includes anything falling within any definition of the expression in that enactment,

• " local authority " means the council of a county, borough or district, the common council of the City of London, the receiver for the metropolitan police district or any other authority being a local authority within the meaning of the [1875 c. 83.] Local Loans Act 1875 and includes—

  1. a

     any water authority or drainage board,

  2. b

     any joint board or joint committee if all the constituent authorities are such local authorities as aforesaid, and

  3. c

     the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple and the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple,

• " National Trust " means the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty incorporated by the [1907 c. cxxxvi.] National Trust Act 1907,

• " owner " in relation to any land, means a person, other than a mortgagee not in possession, who is for the time being entitled to dispose of the fee simple of the land, whether in possession or in reversion, and includes also a person holding or entitled to the rents and profits of the land under a lease or agreement, the unexpired term whereof exceeds three years,

• " prescribed ": see subsection (2) below.

Anything which, by Part II or III of this Act, or Schedule 1 or 3 of this Act, is required or authorised to be prescribed shall be prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State by statutory instrument.