10.—(1) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that—
(a)a member has been absent from meetings of the Service for a period longer than four consecutive months without the permission of the Service,
(b)it is not in the interests or conducive to the good management of the Service that a member should continue to hold office, or
(c)a member is unable or unfit to discharge the functions of a member,
she may by notice in writing to the member remove him from office, and the office then becomes vacant.
(2) Before exercising her power under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State must consult the chairman or, if paragraph (3) applies, either the chief executive or such member other than the chairman as she considers appropriate.
(3) This paragraph applies if—
(a)the Secretary of State considers it inappropriate to consult the chairman,
(b)there is no chairman currently in office, or
(c)the chairman has been suspended from the exercise of his functions as a member.
(4) If the Secretary of State is considering exercising her power under paragraph (1), she may by notice in writing to the member suspend him from the exercise of his functions as a member.
(5) The Secretary of State may by notice in writing to the member revoke any suspension under paragraph (4).