Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946

1946 CHAPTER 59 9_and_10_Geo_6

Contents

Go to Preamble

1. The National Coal Board

   1. 1. Establishment of National Coal Board and functions thereof

   2. 2. Constitution of the Board

   3. 3. Powers of the Minister in relation to the Corporation

   4. 4. Consumers’ councils

2. Transfer of assets to the Board

   1. 5.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   2. 6.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   3. 7.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   4. 8.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   5. 9.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   6. 10—25... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3. Financial provisions

   1. 26.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   2. 27. Temporary borrowing powers of the Board

   3. 28. Payments to the Minister by the Corporation

   4. 29. Reserve fund of the Board

   5. 30.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   6. 31. Board’s accounts and audit thereof

   7. 32. Issue of stock in exchange for Coal Commission Stock

   8. 33. General provisions as to stock

   9. 34. Issues out of the Consolidated Fund for money payments and for advances to the Board

   10. 35. Account of Minister’s receipts

4. Savings, and provisions consequential on nationalisation

   1. 36.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   2. 37. Provisions as to superannuation, etc., rights

   3. 38.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   4. 39.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   5. 40.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   6. 41. Power to vary trusts of property provided out of the Miners’ Welfare Fund

   7. 42.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   8. 43.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   9. 44.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   10. 45. Provisions as to Doncaster Drainage District and certain dock etc., undertakings

5. Miscellaneous provisions as to the Corporation

   1. 46. Duty of the Corporation as to establishment of machinery for settlement of terms and conditions of employment, etc

   2. 47. Corporation not to be exempt from taxation, etc

   3. 48.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   4. 49. Provisions as to liability of the Corporation in actions, etc

   5. 50.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   6. 51.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   7. 52.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   8. 53.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   9. 54. Annual report of the Corporation

6. General

   1. 55. Payment of certain expenses of the Minister out of moneys provided by Parliament

   2. 56. Restriction on disclosure of information

   3. 57.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   4. 58.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   5. 59. Provisions as to prosecutions, and as to offences by corporations

   6. 60. Service of notices, etc

   7. 61. Arbitration under this Act

   8. 62. Provisions as to regulations

   9. 63. Interpretation

   10. 64. Application to Scotland

   11. 65.†Short title, extent and repeal

7. FIRST SCHEDULE

8. SECOND SCHEDULE

9. SCHEDULE 2A

   Eligibility for Superannuation Rights

10. THIRD SCHEDULE

11. FOURTH SCHEDULE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

An Act to establish public ownership and control of the coal-mining industry and certain allied activities; and for purposes connected therewith.

[12th July 1946]

The National Coal Board

1 Establishment of National Coal Board and functions thereof

F1(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2)The functions of the [F2British Coal Corporation](in this Act referred to as [F2“the Corporation”)] shall include the carrying on of all such activities as it may appear to the [F2the Corporation] to be requisite, advantageous or convenient for them to carry on for or in connection with the discharge of their duties under the preceding subsection, and in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of this section,—

(a)searching and boring for coal in Great Britain, F3. . .;

(b)treating, rendering saleable, supplying and selling coal;

(c)producing, manufacturing, treating, rendering saleable, supplying and selling products of coal;

(d)producing or manufacturing any goods or utilities which are of a kind required by the [F2the Corporation] for or in connection with the working and getting of coal or any other of their activities, or which can advantageously be produced or manufactured by the [F2the Corporation] by reason of their having materials or facilities for the production or manufacture thereof in connection with the working and getting of coal or any other of their activities, and supplying and selling goods or utilities so produced or manufactured;

[F4(e)any activities which can advantageously be carried on by the [F2the Corporation] with a view to making the best use of their assets];

(f)activities conducive to advancing the skill of persons employed or to be employed for the purposes of any of the activities aforesaid, or the efficiency of equipment and methods to be used therefor, including the provision by the [F2the Corporation] themselves, and their assisting the provision by others, of facilities for training, education and research.

(3)The [F5Corporation]shall have power to do any thing and to enter into any transaction (whether or not involving the expenditure, borrowing in accordance with the provisions of this Act in that behalf or lending of money, the acquisition of any property or rights, or the disposal of any property or rights not in their opinion required for the proper discharge of their functions) which in their opinion is calculated to facilitate the proper discharge of their duties under subsection (1) of this section or the carrying on by them of any such activities as aforesaid, or is incidental or conducive thereto.

(4)The policy of the [F5Corporation]shall be directed to securing, consistently with the proper discharge of their duties under subsection (1) of this section,—

(a)the safety, health and welfare of persons in their employment;

(b)the benefit of the practical knowledge and experience of such persons in the organisation and conduct of the operations in which they are employed;

(c)that the revenues of the [F5Corporation]shall not be less than sufficient for meeting all their outgoings properly chargeable to revenue account (including, without prejudice to the generality of that expression, provisions in respect of their obligations under sections twenty-eight and twenty-nine of this Act) on an average of good and bad years.

2 Constitution of the Board

(1)[F1The Corporation] shall be a body corporate by the name of [F1“British Coal Corporation” ], with perpetual succession and a common seal . . . F2.

(2)The [F3Corporation]shall consist of a chairman and [F4not F5. . .more than fourteen other members].

(3)The chairman and other members of the [F3Corporation]shall be appointed by [F6the Secretary of State] (in this Act referred to as “the Minister”) F7. . ..

(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8

F9(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6)There shall be paid to the members of the [F3Corporation]such salaries and allowances as may be determined by the Minister with the approval of [F10the Treasury], and, on the retirement or death of any of them as to whom it may be so determined to make such provision, such pensions and gratuities to them or to others by reference to their service as may be so determined.

The said salaries and allowances, and any such pensions and gratuities as aforesaid, shall be paid out of the revenues of the [F3Corporation].

(7)The Minister may make regulations with respect to—

(a)the appointment of, and the tenure and vacation of office by, the members of the [F11Corporation];

(b)the quorum, proceedings and meetings of the [F11Corporation], and determinations of the [F11Corporation]; and

(c)the execution of instruments and the mode of entering into contracts by and on behalf of the [F11Corporation], and the proof of documents purporting to be executed, issued or signed by the [F11Corporation] or a member, officer or servant thereof.

(8)Subject to the provisions of any regulations made under the last preceding subsection, the [F11Corporation]shall have power to regulate their own procedure.

3 Powers of the Minister in relation to the Corporation

F1(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4)The [F2Corporation]shall afford to the Minister facilities for obtaining information with respect to the property and activities of the [F2Corporation][F3in Great Britain or elsewhere], and shall furnish him with returns, accounts and other information with respect thereto and afford to him facilities for the verification of information furnished, in such manner and at such times as he may require.

4 Consumers’ councils

F1(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

[F3(6)The said councils shall be furnished by the Minister with such clerks, officers and staff as appear to him, with the concurrence of [F4the Treasury] as to numbers, to be requisite for the proper discharge of their functions, and the Minister shall pay to the members of the said councils such allowances, and to the clerks, officers and staff of the said councils such remuneration and allowances, as he may with the approval of [F4the Treasury] determine, and shall pay such expenses incurred by the said councils as he may so determine.]

F1(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(9)—(11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

F1(12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Transfer of assets to the Board

F15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .