Interpretation

2.—(1) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

“the Act” means the National Health Service Act 1946;

“Authority” means as the case may require a Regional Health Authority, an Area Health Authority or any body specified in an order by the Secretary of State under section 15 of the Reorganisation Act; and in relation to a hospital not vested in the Secretary of State for Social Services with which arrangements have been made by an Authority for the provision of services under the Health Service Acts otherwise than under Part IV of the Act, shall mean that Authority;

“the Act of 1951” means the National Health Service Act 1951;

“the Act of 1961” means the National Health Service Act 1961;

“enactment” includes a provision in a Statutory Instrument;

“optical appliance” means an appliance designed to correct, remedy or relieve a defect of sight;

“optician” means an ophthalmic optician or a dispensing optician as the case may require;

(2) Unless the context otherwise requires, references in these regulations to an enactment shall be construed as references to that enactment as amended by any subsequent enactment.

(3) References in any other regulations to the regulations revoked by these regulations or to any provision thereof shall be construed as references to these regulations or to the corresponding provision hereof as the case may be.

(4) Unless the context otherwise requires, any references in these regulations to a numbered regulation is a reference to the regulation bearing that number in these regulations and any reference in a regulation to a numbered paragraph is a reference to the paragraph bearing that number in that regulation.

(5) The rules for the construction of Acts of Parliament contained in the Interpretation Act 1889 shall apply for the purposes of the interpretation of these regulations as they apply for the purposes of the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.