Agricultural Wages Act 1948

Section 3.

THIRD SCHEDULE E+W Constitution and Proceedings of Agricultural Wages Committees

1 E+W An agricultural wages committee shall consist of persons representing employers and persons representing workers in agriculture in the county, in equal proportions, of two impartial persons appointed by the Minister and of a chairman.

2 E+W The members of the committee representing employers and the members thereof representing workers shall be nominated in the prescribed manner or elected in the prescribed manner, according as may be prescribed.

3 (1) The chairman of an agricultural wages committee shall be appointed annually by the committee: E+W

Provided that if the committee at any time fail to appoint a chairman within such period as may be prescribed, the appointment may be made by the Minister.

(2) A committee may nominate one or more persons for the office of vice-chairman, and the chairman may from time to time appoint, to act in his place as vice-chairman in his absence, the person, or one of the persons nominated.

(3) A member of a committee representing employers and a member of a committee representing workers shall not be qualified to be appointed chairman or vice-chairman of the committee of which he is a member.

4 E+W At every meeting of an agricultural wages committee the chairman, if present, shall preside. If the chairman is absent, the vice-chairman, if present shall preside. If both the chairman and vice-chairman are absent, such member as the members then present choose shall preside.

5 E+W The Minister may appoint a secretary for an agricultural wages committee.

6 (1) At a meeting of an agricultural wages committee the chairman, or a vice-chairman presiding at the meeting in his absence, shall be entitled to vote, and in case of an equality of votes shall have a second or casting vote, but before exercising his right to vote, the chairman or vice-chairman, if so authorised by a resolution of the members of the committee representing employers and the members thereof representing workers, may obtain the advice of the Board or a committee thereof as to the exercise of that right, and may adjourn the meeting in order to enable him to do so. E+W

(2) A resolution for the purposes of the preceding sub-paragraph that is passed at a meeting of an agricultural wages committee unanimously by such of the members thereof representing employers and such of the members thereof representing workers as are present and voting shall be deemed, for those purposes, to be a resolution of those members.

7 (1) An agricultural wages committee may, in accordance with regulations made by the Minister by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament, appoint one or more sub-committees consisting of persons representing employers and persons representing workers in agriculture in the county in equal proportions, and of a chairman, if the committee think fit, and the committee may refer to any such sub-committee for report and recommendations any matter which they think it expedient so to refer, and may also, if they think fit, delegate to any such sub-committee any of their powers and duties under this Act. E+W

(2) The members of a sub-committee may be, but need not be, members of the committee by which the sub-committee is appointed.

8 E+W The proceedings of an agricultural wages committee or of a sub-committee thereof shall not be invalidated by a vacancy therein or by a defect in the appointment, nomination or election of the chairman, vice-chairman or other member of the committee or sub-committee.

9 E+W The Minister may, by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament, make regulations with respect to the proceedings and meetings of agricultural wages committees and sub-committees thereof, including the appointment of chairmen and the term of office of chairmen and other members, the method of voting and the number of members necessary to form a quorum, and any such regulations may be made so as to apply generally to the procedure of all committees or sub-committees or specially to the procedure of any particular committee or sub-committee; but, subject to the provisions of this Schedule and to any regulations so made, an agricultural wages committee and a sub-committee thereof may respectively regulate their proceedings in such manner as they think fit.

10 E+W There may be paid to the members of an agricultural wages committee and the members of a sub-committee thereof such allowances by way of compensation for expenses incurred and time lost by them in the performance of their duties as the Minister may sanction, and all such allowances shall be defrayed as part of the expenses of the Minister in carrying this Act into effect.