Page:Railways Act 1921 (ukpga 19210055 en).pdf/70

[Ch. 55.] to the Minister, so long as the officer or servant in question remains in the service of the Crown;

and accordingly the said paragraph shall have effect as the words "under this section, then so long as the Minister remains in possession of that undertaking or any part or plant thereof" were omitted therefrom.

Provisions as to inquiries.

80.—(1) The provisions of section twenty of the Ministry of Transport Act, 1919 (relating to local inquiries), shall extend so as to enable the Minister to hold local inquiries for the purposes of this Act in like manner as for the purposes of the said Act.

(2) Section twenty-three of the Ministry of Transport Act, 1919 (which provides for the establishment of a panel for giving advice and assistance to the Minister, in connexion with the exercise and performance of his powers and duties), shall extend to the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of the Minister under this Act; and the Minister may add to the panel persons having special experience in the various matters to which the powers and duties of the Minister under this Act relate.

(3) Any expenses incurred by the Minister in relation to any such local inquiry, or an inquiry by a committee chosen either wholly or partly from such panel as aforesaid, shall be paid by the railway companies and other persons concerned in the inquiry, or by such of them and in such proportions as the Minister may direct; and, the Minister may certify the amount of the expenses incurred, and any sum so certified and directed by the Minister to be paid by any railway company or other person shall be a debt to the Crown from such company or person.

(4) The rates advisory committee constituted under section twenty-one of the Ministry of Transport Act, 1919, shall continue in existence so long as may be necessary for the purposes of references under the, and after the said committee ceases to exist any functions which under any other enactments are to be discharged by the committee. shall be transferred to the rates tribunal. 66