For the purposes of this Act, England and Wales shall be divided into districts, and a court shall be held under this Act for each district at one or more places in it; and throughout the whole of each district the court so held for the district shall have such jurisdiction and powers as are conferred by this Act and any other enactment for the time being in force.

Every court so held shall be called a county court and shall be a court of record and shall have a seal.

Nothing in this section affects the operation of section 42 of the M1Courts Act 1971 (City of London).

The Lord Chancellor may by order specify places at which county courts are to be held and the name by which the court held at any place so specified is to be known.

Any order under this section shall be made by statutory instrument, which shall be laid before Parliament after being made.

The districts for which county courts are to be held shall be determined in accordance with directions given by or on behalf of the Lord Chancellor.

Subject to any alterations made by virtue of this section, county courts shall continue to be held for the districts and at the places and by the names appointed at the commencement of this Act.