ukpga/1969/48 — Post Office Act 1969

Post Office Act 1969 1969 c. 48 An Act to abolish the office of master of the Post Office, distribute the business conducted by the holder thereof amongst authorities constituted for the purpose and make provision consequential on the abolition of that office and the distribution of the business so conducted; to amend, replace or repeal certain provisions of the enactments relating to posts, telegraphs and savings banks; to amend the law relating to stamp duty; and to empower the Treasury to dispose of their interest in the shares of Cable and Wireless Limited. [25th July 1969] Part I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Part II The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications and his Functions The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. 2 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 In the following provisions of this Act, “ the Minister ” means the Secretary of State . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transfer to the Minister of the Postmaster General’s functions with respect to wireless telegraphy, and provisions consequential thereon. 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transfer to the Minister of the Postmaster General’s functions under section 6 of the Commonwealth Telegraphs Act 1949. 4 The functions which are vested in the Postmaster General by virtue of section 6 of the Commonwealth Telegraphs Act 1949 (provisions as to pensions of employees of Cable and Wireless Limited and certain other persons) shall, on the appointed day, vest in the Minister; and, accordingly, as from that day, references in that section to the Postmaster General shall be construed as referring to the Minister. Transfer to the Minister of the Postmaster General’s power to make orders under the Recorded Delivery Service Act 1962. 5 The power conferred by subsection (3) of section 1 of the Recorded Delivery Service Act 1962 on the Postmaster General by order to make such amendments of enactments contained in local or private Acts as appear to him to be necessary or expedient in consequence of subsection (1) of that section shall, on the appointed day, vest in the Minister; and, accordingly, as from that day, the reference to the Postmaster General in the said subsection (3) and the reference to him in subsection (4) of that section (which lays on him a duty of consultation before making an order under subsection (3)) shall each be construed as referring to the Minister. Part III The new Authority for the Conduct of postal and telegraphic Business The Post Office The Post Office. 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Powers and Duties of the Post Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Powers of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications over the Post Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Post Office Users’ Councils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 General Provisions as to Transfer to the Post Office of Property, Rights and Liabilities of the Postmaster General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Transfer to the Post Office of the Postmaster General’s statutory Rights and Liabilities as to Mails and Telegraphs and of Rights and Liabilities, &c., of his under certain Acts authorising the Acquisition of Land or the Execution of Works Rights and liabilities as to conveyance of mails. 20 1 On the appointed day— a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b the rights which, by virtue of sections 33, 34, 36(1) and 42 of the principal Act (which contain provisions enabling him to compel railway undertakers to undertake the conveyance of mail-bags by train and by ships which are owned or worked by them or in the case of which they are parties to arrangements for the use, maintenance or working thereof) he enjoys immediately before that day and the countervailing obligations with respect to payment of remuneration for services performed which, immediately before that day, are, by virtue of sections 35 and 36(2) of the principal Act, incumbent on him shall become those of the Post Office; c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d the obligation to him which, by virtue of subsection (1) of section 38 of the principal Act, is, immediately before that day, incumbent on railway undertakers to perform services with respect to the conveyance of mail-bags and the other matters mentioned in that subsection and the right which, by virtue of subsection (2) of that section, they enjoy, immediately before that day, to receive from him remuneration for services performed shall respectively become an obligation to the Post Office and a right against it. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Rights and liabilities, &c., arising out of Acts authorising the acquisition of land or the execution of works. 22 1 Any provision of the Sites Acts, the Post Office Extension Act 1865, the Manchester Post Office Act 1876, the Post Office (London) Railway Act 1913, the Post Office (Site and Railway) Act 1954, the Post Office Works Act 1959 or the Post Office Subway Act 1966 which is in force immediately before the appointed day and contains references to the Postmaster General shall, so far as necessary for preserving its effect on and after that day, have effect as from that day as if those references were references to the Post Office. 2 As from the appointed day, any rights or powers vested in, or exercisable by, the Post Office under the enactments relating to telegraphs in respect of works of any kind whatsoever executed under those enactments shall extend to, and may be exercised by it in respect of, the portions of the tube constructed by the Pneumatic Despatch Company, Limited, that vest in the Post Office by virtue of section 16 of this Act. 3 Section 20 of the Bristol Cattle Market Act 1930 (which empowers the Postmaster General, amongst others, to enter into and carry out agreements with reference to any of the matters referred to in that Act or the agreements mentioned in that section) shall, as from the appointed day, have effect with the substitution, for the reference to the Postmaster General, of a reference to the Post Office. 4 Section 16 of the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1950 (which provides for the continuance of the making, by the Postmaster General, the Mayor and commonalty and citizens of the city of London acting by the common council and the Mercers’ Company of certain periodic payments to the incumbents and clerks of certain benefices in the city, being payments originally required to be made under enactments repealed by that Act) shall, as from the appointed day, have effect as if, in Schedule 1 to that Act, for references to the Postmaster General, there were substituted references to the Post Office; and the rights of indemnity in favour of the Postmaster General that are saved by the proviso to section 18 of that Act shall, as from that day, enure for the benefit of the Post Office and the charges on property to secure the payment of money payable to the Postmaster General in respect of indemnities so saved which are themselves also saved by that proviso shall, as from that day, have effect accordingly. 5 The reference in subsection (1) above to the Sites Acts is a reference to the Acts passed during the years 1885 to 1938 (both inclusive) the short title of each of which consists of the words “The Post Office (Sites) Act” followed by the year in which it was passed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Charges and other Terms and Conditions applicable to Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Limitation of Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Pensions and other Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Provisions as to pensions of former employees of Cable and Wireless Limited and certain other persons. 49 1 The Minister may, by statutory instrument (which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament) make, with the consent of the Treasury , such regulations with respect to the payment of pensions to, or in respect of, persons who, at the passing of this Act are serving in the department of the Postmaster General, being— a persons who have pension rights under any of the following schemes, that is to say, the existing pension schemes, the scheme for the payment of pensions commonly known as the Cable and Wireless Pension Fund (being a scheme subsisting by virtue of regulations made under section 6 of the Commonwealth Telegraphs Act 1949) and the scheme for the payment of pensions commonly known as the Cable and Wireless Staff Dependants’ Fund (being a scheme so subsisting); or b persons, other than as aforesaid, who have been in the employment of Cable and Wireless Limited; as appear to him to be requisite for securing that they, and persons claiming in right of them, are not adversely affected in the matter of pension rights by reason only that, in consequence of this Act, they cease to serve in that department. 2 Subsections (2) to (4), (7) and (8) of the said section 6 shall apply for the purposes of this section as if references to that section and subsection (1) thereof included references to the foregoing subsection, as if, for references to the existing pension schemes (except in subsection (8)), there were substituted references to the schemes mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above, and as if, in subsection (7), for the reference to 1st January 1947 there were substituted a reference to the day on which this Act passes; and subsection (5) of that section shall, in its application to subsection (2)(a), as applied by this section, have effect as if, for the references to the purposes of any of the existing pension schemes, there were substituted a reference to the purposes of any of the schemes so mentioned. 3 Regulations under this section may amend or revoke provisions of regulations under the said section 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Rating 52 53 54 Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Miscellaneous Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Taxation of the Post Office’s profits and capital gains. 74 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 shall apply in relation to a disposal by the Post Office of an asset acquired by virtue of this Part of this Act as if the acquisition or provision of the asset by the Crown had been the acquisition or provision of it by the Post Office. Records. 75 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Consequential adaptations of enactments. 76 The provisions of Schedule 4 to this Act shall have effect for adapting the provisions of the enactments and Orders in Council therein mentioned in consequence of the assumption by the Post Office of functions which, before the appointed day, are exercised and performed by the Postmaster General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Interpretation of Part III. 86 1 In this Part of this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them respectively, that is to say:— ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “ land ” includes any interest in land and any right over land; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power of Her Majesty in Council to make necessary provision if the Post Office surrenders privileges as regards the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. 87 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extent of Part III and related Schedules Extent of Part III and related Schedules. 88 1 The following shall extend to the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, namely,— a this Part of this Act, except sections 76 and 77 and any provision which, by its terms, is limited in its operation to a part of the United Kingdom; and b Schedules 1 and 2 to this Act. 2 Section 76 of, and Schedule 4 to, this Act shall— a in their application to an enactment that is expressed (either in the Act containing it or in another Act, and either directly or indirectly) to extend to the Isle of Man, extend to that Isle; and b in their application to an enactment that is so expressed to extend to the Channel Islands, extend to those Islands. 3 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Subsections (1), (2) and (4) above shall have effect subject to the provisions of any Order in Council made under the last foregoing section. 6 Part IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Part V Provisions for securing the Continuance of the Carrying on, under the Auspices of a Director of Savings in Place of the Postmaster General, of certain financial Business The Director of Savings Appointment, and functions and expenses, &c., of the Director of Savings. 93 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replacement of the Postmaster General by the Director of Savings for the Purposes of the Post Office Savings Bank Acts 1954 and 1966, and Provisions consequential thereon The National Savings Bank. 94 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 , as from the appointed day, and— a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d any reference to the Postmaster General in a nomination executed under regulations made, or having effect as if made, under section 2 of the Post Office Savings Bank Act 1954 shall be construed as referring to the Director of Savings. 3 The amendment of section 27 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 effected by virtue of subsection (2)(c) above is an amendment of that section as well in its application to the Crown in right of Her Majesty’s Government in Northern Ireland as in its application to the Crown in right of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom. 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Replacement of the Postmaster General by the Director of Savings for the Purposes of the National Debt Act 1958 and the National Loans Act 1968, and Provisions consequential thereon The stock register kept under Part I of the National Debt Act 1958. 108 1 a in section 48 of the Finance ( No. 2) Act 1915 (procedure on death of a person entitled to government stock), for the words “the Postmaster General” there shall be substituted the words “the Director of Savings” ; b in sections 66 (transfer of government stock on authority of order of a court) and 67 (indemnity on transfer of government stock) of the Finance Act 1916, for the words “the Postmaster General” there shall be substituted the words “the Director of Savings” ; c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f in section 1(4)(c) of the Stock Transfer Act 1963 (simplified transfer of securities), for the words “the Post Office register” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Stock Register”; and g any reference to the Postmaster General in a nomination executed under regulations made, or having effect as if made, under section 2 of the National Debt Act 1958 shall be construed as referring to the Director of Savings. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power of the Treasury to raise money under the auspices of the Director of Savings. 109 The power conferred by section 12 of the National Loans Act 1968 on the Treasury to raise money shall extend to raising money under the auspices of the Director of Savings and, in particular, by the issue, under his auspices, of national savings certificates; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Credits to the Post Office in respect of certain capital Expenditure incurred by the Postmaster General in Connection with annuity, savings bank and national debt Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Extent of Part V and Schedule 6 Extent of Part V and Schedule 6. 114 This Part of this Act and Schedule 6 thereto shall extend to the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Part VI Stamps and Stamp Duties Stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Special Provisions with respect to Northern Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Part VII Miscellaneous and General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Extension of regulation-making power under section 52(2) of the Government Annuities Act 1929. 132 1 In section 52(2) of the Government Annuities Act 1929 (which empowers the National Debt Commissioners, with the concurrence of the Treasury, to make regulations for carrying out the provisions of Part II of that Act so far as regards any annuities or insurances granted by the Commissioners, either directly or through any parochial or other society, and so far as the trustees of savings banks are concerned), the words from “so far as regards” to “concerned” shall cease to have effect on the appointed day. 2 Without prejudice to section 13 of the Interpretation Act 1978 , the power to make regulations under the said section 52(2), in so far as it is conferred by virtue of the foregoing subsection, may be exercised at any time after the passing of this Act as if that subsection had come into operation on the passing of this Act, but so that regulations made by virtue of that subsection shall not come into operation before the appointed day. 3 This section shall extend to the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Issue by local authorities in Great Britain of dog and game licences. 134 1 As from the appointed day, licences for dogs shall be issued in Great Britain by the councils having power to levy the duties thereon and so, in England and Wales, shall licences for dealing in, or killing, game. 2 A council in Great Britain having power to levy the duties on any such licences as aforesaid may employ persons to act as its agents for the purpose of the issue of the licences and may pay to persons employed so to act such reasonable remuneration as it thinks fit. Remuneration of the Post Office for issuing dog and game licences in England and Wales. 135 1 Any sums falling to be paid by the Secretary of State to the Post Office company in pursuance of any agreement to which he, it and a council in England or Wales are parties, being— a an agreement providing for the issue by the Post Office company , on behalf of the council, of licences of all or any of the following kinds, namely, licences for dogs, licences for dealing in game and licences for killing game, and the payment by that Minister to the Post Office company of sums in consideration of its issuing the licences; . . . b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shall be paid out of moneys provided by Parliament. 1A In subsection (1) above “the Post Office company” has the same meaning as in Part IV of the Postal Services Act 2000. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Expenses. 136 Any increase attributable to the provisions of this Act in sums which, under any other enactment (other than the Ministers of the Crown Act 1964), are defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament shall be defrayed out of moneys so provided, and any increase so attributable in sums which under any other enactment are defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund or the National Loans Fund shall be defrayed out of the first-or last-mentioned fund, as the case may be. Cesser of obsolete, &c. enactments. 137 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transitional provisions. 138 1 The general transitional provisions contained in Schedule 9 to this Act, and the special transitional provisions with respect to patents for inventions and registered designs contained in Schedule 10 to this Act, shall have effect. 2 This section and the said Schedules 9 and 10 shall extend to the Isle of Man, and this section and the said Schedule 9 shall extend to the Channel Islands. Application to Northern Ireland. 139 1 In the application of this Act to Northern Ireland— a any reference to an enactment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland (except a reference to Schedule 5 or 6 to the Roads Act (Northern Ireland) 1948) or to an enactment which that Parliament has power to amend— i shall, except in Schedule 4 to this Act, be construed as including a reference to any enactment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland passed after this Act and re-enacting the said enactment with or without modification; ii shall, except so far as the context otherwise requires, be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended by any enactment, whether passed before or after this Act, and including a reference thereto as extended or applied by or under any other enactment, including this Act; b “Act” and “enactment” (except in subsection (1) of the next following section) respectively include an Act and an enactment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 ..., regulations made by the Secretary of State under the Civil Defence Act (Northern Ireland) 1950 may apply to a universal service provider ... in connection with the provision of a universal postal service ... such of the provisions of the Civil Defence Act (Northern Ireland) 1939 (except section 7(4) thereof) relating to public utility undertakers as may be specified in the regulations and may specify the Secretary of State as the appropriate department in relation to a universal service provider ... in connection with the provision of a universal postal service ... for the purpose of the application of any provisions so specified to a universal service provider ... in connection with the provision of a universal postal service ... . 3A In subsection (3) “ universal service provider ” and “ universal postal service ” have the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Postal Services Act 2011. 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Construction of references to enactments. 140 1 Any reference in this Act to any other enactment shall, except so far as the context otherwise requires, be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended, and including a reference thereto as extended or applied, by or under any other enactment, including this Act. 2 Any reference in an Act passed before the passing of this Act to an enactment which is amended by this Act shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed, as from the day on which the amendment takes effect, as referring to that enactment as so amended. Repeals. 141 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Short title. 142 This Act may be cited as the Post Office Act 1969. SCHEDULES SCHEDULE 1 Incidental Provisions with respect to the Post Office and the Members thereof Sections 6, 43, 88. Status 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Members 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Proceedings 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Staff 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fixing of Seal and Proof of Instruments 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SCHEDULE 2 Classes of Assets to be held by the Post Office to match its Debts to its banking Customers Sections 41, 88. Part I Classes of Assets to be held to match a Proportion, determined under Section 41 of this Act, of Debts 1 Cash. 2 Money held on current account by other bankers on behalf of the Post Office in its capacity as the provider, in exercise of the power conferred on it by virtue of section 7(1)(b) of this Act, of a banking service. 3 Loans repayable either on demand or not later than the expiration of the period of fourteen days beginning with the day next following that on which notice is given to the borrower requiring repayment, being loans in the case of each of which the following condition is satisfied on each day on which it is outstanding, that is to say, that it is secured on one or more of the following, namely,— a Treasury bills and bills of Her Majesty’s Government in Northern Ireland; b accepted and transferable bills of exchange payable at a fixed period after date or sight expiring before the end of the fifth anniversary of that day; c marketable fixed interest securities issued by Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government in Northern Ireland or the Government of the Isle of Man, being securities redeemable (otherwise than at the option of the issuer thereof) before the end of that anniversary; d marketable fixed interest securities in the case of which the payment of interest thereon is guaranteed by Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government in Northern Ireland or the Government of the Isle of Man, being securities redeemable (otherwise than at the option of the issuer thereof) before the end of that anniversary. 4 Loans of either of the kinds mentioned in paragraph 9 of Part II of Schedule 1 to the Trustee Investments Act 1961, being loans repayable as mentioned in the last foregoing paragraph. 5 Treasury bills payable not more than ninety-one days from date and bills of Her Majesty’s Government in Northern Ireland so payable. 6 Assets of such other class as may from time to time be designated for the purposes of this Part of this Schedule by the Post Office with the approval of the Treasury. Part II Classes of Assets to be held to match the Residue of Debts 7 Cash. 8 Money held as mentioned in paragraph 2 above. 9 Loans of the class specified in paragraph 3 above. 10 Loans of the class specified in paragraph 4 above. 11 Treasury bills and bills of Her Majesty’s Government in Northern Ireland. 12 Assets of a class for the time being designated under paragraph 6 above. 13 Marketable fixed interest securities issued by Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government in Northern Ireland or the Government of the Isle of Man, being securities redeemable (otherwise than at the option of the issuer thereof) before the end of the fifth anniversary of the day on which the Post Office acquires them. 14 Marketable fixed interest securities in the case of which the payment of interest thereon is guaranteed by Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government in Northern Ireland or the Government of the Isle of Man, being securities redeemable (otherwise than at the option of the issuer thereof) before the end of the fifth anniversary of the day on which the Post Office acquires them. 15 Loans of either of the kinds mentioned in paragraph 9 of Part II of Schedule 1 to the Trustee Investments Act 1961, being loans made on terms that they will, without any demands’ being made, or notices’ being given, by the persons entitled to repayment, be repaid before the end of the fifth anniversary of the day on which they are made. 16 Securities of the kind mentioned in the said paragraph 9, being securities redeemable (otherwise than at the option of the issuer thereof) before the end of the fifth anniversary of the day on which the Post Office acquires them. 17 Assets of such other class as may from time to time be designated for the purposes of this Part of this Schedule by the Post Office with the approval of the Treasury. SCHEDULE 3 Modifications of Schedules 5 and 6 to the Roads Act (Northern Ireland) 1948 for the Purposes of Orders made under Section 56 of this Act Section 56. 1 For any reference in Schedule 5 to the Roads Act (Northern Ireland) 1948 to an authority or a local authority or to the functions of a local authority as a road authority there shall be substituted a reference to the Post Office or to the functions of the Post Office as the case may require. 2 For any reference in Schedules 5 and 6 to the said Act of 1948 to the Ministry within the meaning of that Act there shall be substituted a reference to the Minister. 3 1 Paragraph 2(2) of the said Schedule 5 shall be omitted. 2 In paragraph 2(3)(c) of the said Schedule 5, after the word “served”, there shall be inserted the words “by post by means of the recorded delivery service”. 4 For any reference in the said Schedules to the said Act of 1948 there shall be substituted a reference to this Act. 5 1 For the purposes of a vesting order in respect of an estate in land, being an estate less than a fee simple, the said Schedule 5 shall have effect with such modifications as may be necessary to enable such an estate to be acquired by means of the vesting order and to enable compensation in respect thereof to be duly paid or discharged and (without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions) shall have effect as if for the words in paragraph 5 of the said Schedule 5 from “A vesting order” to “under this Schedule” there were substituted the following words— “ A vesting order shall operate, without further assurance, to vest in the Post Office, as from the date on which the vesting order becomes operative (in this Schedule referred to as “ the date of vesting ”), all such estates in, to or over the land to which the order relates as are specified in the order, freed and discharged from all the estates of any other person whosoever therein except in so far as is otherwise expressly provided in the order, and the rights and claims of any such other person in respect of an estate so vested shall, as from the date of vesting be transferred and attached, to the extent to which compensation may be payable in accordance with this Schedule, to the funds of the Post Office (in this Schedule referred to as “ the compensation fund ”) and shall be discharged by payments made by the Post Office ” . 2 In the said paragraph 5, for the words from “be the date” onwards there shall be substituted the words “be the date on which the vesting order becomes operative or the date of the lodgment of the vesting order with the registering authority under that Act, whichever is the later”. 6 In paragraph 10 of the said Schedule 5, for the words from “signed” to the end of head (b), there shall be substituted the words “signed by such person as may be designated for the purposes of this Schedule by the Post Office”. SCHEDULE 4 Adaptations of Enactments and Orders in Council consequential on the Assumption by the new Authority for the Conduct of postal and telegraphic Business of Functions exercised and performed before the appointed Day by the Postmaster General Sections 76, 88, 139. Part I Interpretation 1 In this Schedule “ the authority ” means the authority established by section 6 of this Act. Part II Adaptations of public general Enactments Adaptations of Enactments relating to the Post 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adaptations of Enactments relating to Telegraphs 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adaptations of Enactments relating to the Supply of Electricity 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 As from the appointed day, references to a private generating station in section 11 of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 (restrictions on the establishment of new generating stations) shall be construed as including references to a generating station (within the meaning of that Act) for the generation of electricity for use wholly or mainly for the purposes of the authority’s undertaking. 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adaptations of other Enactments 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 As from the appointed day, the reference to the Post Office in section 12(3)(b) of the Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 (evidence by certificate) shall be construed as including a reference to the authority. 56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 1 Where any work proposed to be done on or after the appointed day by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in pursuance of a clearance or demolition order or a re-development scheme made by them under the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 involves, or is likely to involve, an alteration in a telegraphic line belonging to, or used by, the authority, paragraphs (1) to (8) of section 7 of the Telegraph Act 1878 shall apply to the alteration and accordingly shall have effect, subject to any necessary modifications, as if references therein to undertakers included references to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive . 2 Where, in pursuance of an order under section 22 of the Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890, section 14 of the Housing Act (Northern Ireland) 1961, Article 51 of the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 or section 25 of the New Towns Act (Northern Ireland) 1965, that comes into operation on or after the appointed day, a public right of way over land is extinguished and, immediately before the day on which the order comes into operation, there is under, in, on, over, along or across the land a telegraphic line of the authority’s, the authority shall have the same powers in respect of the line as if the order had not come into operation; but, if a person entitled to land over which the right of way subsisted requires that the line should be altered, paragraphs (1) to (8) of the said section 7 shall apply to the alteration and accordingly shall have effect, subject to any necessary modifications, as if references therein to undertakers included references to the person by whom the alteration is required. 3 In this paragraph “ telegraphic line ” and “ alteration ” have the same meanings as in the Telegraph Act 1878. 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 As from the appointed day, section 7(1) of the Payment of Wages Act 1960 (interpretation) shall have effect as if, for the definitions of “money order” and “postal order”, there were substituted the following definitions:— “ money order ” means a money order issued by the Postmaster General or the Post Office and “ postal order ” means a postal order so issued . 68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 As from the appointed day, the references to the Postmaster General in section 53 of the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 (transmission of election addresses) shall be construed as referring to the authority. 74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 As from the appointed day, the reference in section 1(4) of the Criminal Evidence Act 1965 to the Post Office shall be construed as including a reference to the authority. 78 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 As from the appointed day, the Schedule to the Building Control Act 1966 (which specifies bodies in the case of which work carried out by them is exempt from control under that Act) shall have effect as if, at the end thereof, there were added a reference to the authority. 81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 As from the appointed day, the authority shall be deemed to be a public utility undertaking for the purposes of section 1 of the Local Government and Roads Act (Northern Ireland) 1968. 91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 1 A universal service provider ... in connection with the provision of a universal postal service ... shall be deemed to be a statutory undertaker and his undertaking so far as relating to the provision of a universal postal service a statutory undertaking for the purposes of the following enactments, namely,— i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v the Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) (Scotland) Act 1947; vi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii section 4 of the Requisitioned Land and War Works Act 1948; viii the Roads Act (Northern Ireland) 1948, as applied by any statutory provision passed or made before the commencement of the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1980 ix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949; xi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954; xiii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii section 11 of the Land Compensation Act 1961; xviii section 3(4) of the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961; xix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx the Pipe-lines Act 1962; xxi section 18 of the Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1963; xxii Schedules 3 to the Harbours Act 1964; xxiii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxiv section 10(4) of the Highlands and Islands Development (Scotland) Act 1965; xxv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxvi . . . xxvii sections 11(5)(f), 54(6) and 75(4) of, and Schedule 3 to, the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967; xxviii the New Towns (Scotland) Act 1968; xxix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxx section 22 of the Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968; xxxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxiii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxiv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxv Section 9 of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990. . . .. 2 In the following enactments, namely,— a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c the Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) (Scotland) Act 1947; d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . g . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . j the Pipe-lines Act 1962; k Schedules 3 to the Harbours Act 1964; l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . s “ the appropriate Minister ” shall, in relation to a universal service provider ... , mean the Minister. 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 In the following enactments, namely,— a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d section 13 of the Pipe-lines Act 1962; e the New Towns Act 1981 f . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . g the New Towns (Scotland) Act 1968; h i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . j . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . k . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “ operational land ” shall, in relation to a universal service provider ... , mean land of his of any such class as may be specified in regulations made jointly by the Minister and the Minister of Housing and Local Government by statutory instrument (which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament); and— i the definition of a class of land for the purposes of regulations made under this sub-paragraph may be framed by reference to any circumstances whatsoever; and ii if any question arises whether land of a universal service provider’s falls within a class specified in regulations so made, it shall be determined by the Minister. In the application of this sub-paragraph to Scotland, for the reference to the Minister of Housing and Local Government there shall be substituted a reference to the Secretary of State. 4A In this paragraph “ universal service provider ” and “ universal postal service ” have the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Postal Services Act 2011. 5 This paragraph shall come into operation on the appointed day. 94 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Part III Adaptations of local Enactments 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 1 Nothing in— a the London Building Acts 1930 to 1939 or byelaws thereunder; or b a special enactment passed or made before the appointed day (including such an enactment relating to Scotland or Northern Ireland) for purposes similar to those of an enactment contained in Part V or VII of the Highways Act 1959 (except sections 136 to 138); shall affect any powers of the authority under the enactments relating to telegraphs or apply to any telegraphic lines placed or maintained by the Postmaster General or the authority by virtue of those enactments. 2 In this paragraph, “ special enactment ” has the same meaning as in the Highways Act 1959. 97 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Part IV Adaptation of Orders in Council 103 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SCHEDULE 5 Repair of minor Deficiencies in certain Acts Sections 77, 88. 1 1 In any proceedings against a person in respect of an offence under section 45 of the Telegraph Act 1863 consisting in the improper divulging of the purport of a message or communication or an offence under section 20 of the Telegraph Act 1868 it shall be a defence for him to prove that the act constituting the offence was done under the authority of an interception warrant under section 5 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, under section 11(9) of that Act or in pursuance of a requirement imposed by the Interception of Communications Commissioner under section 58(1) of that Act or imposed by section 68(6) of that Act or by or in accordance with any rules under section 69 of that Act. . 2 Subsection (2) of section 58 of the Post Office Act 1953 (warrants in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man) shall apply for the purposes of the foregoing sub-paragraph as it applies for the purposes of subsection (1) of that section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 Section 63 of the Post Office Act 1953 shall have effect as if, in subsection (6) thereof, for the words “any stamp for denoting a current rate of postage of any country outside the British postal area” , there were substituted the words “any current stamp for denoting a rate of postage of any country outside the British postal area”. SCHEDULE 6 Amendments of Acts consequential on Section 94 of this Act Sections 94, 114 Parts I and II Part III Amendments of other enactments Enactments of the Parliament of the United Kingdom Enactment amended and Subject-matter thereof Amendment . . . . . . Section 10 of the Savings Banks Act 1887 (issue, for specially low fee, of certificate of birth, marriage or death for purposes of Acts relating to savings banks and government annuities). For the words “Post Office Savings Banks” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. Section 44 of the Friendly Societies Act 1896 (investment of funds). In subsection (1)(a), for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. Rule 172 in Schedule 1 to the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907 (disposal of money payable to persons under legal disability). In paragraph (f), in sub-paragraph (1), for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”, and, in sub-paragraph (4), for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the Director of Savings”. Section 47A of the Administration of Estates Act 1925 (right of surviving spouse to have own life interest redeemed). In subsection (2), in rule 2, for the words “the purchase of an immediate life annuity from the National Debt Commissioners through the Post Office Savings Bank”, there shall be substituted the words “the purchase, under the Government Annuities Act 1929, of an immediate savings bank annuity”. Section 27 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 (attachment of moneys payable by the Crown). In subsection (1), in the proviso, in paragraph (c), for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. Section 46 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 (provisions as to arrestment). In the proviso, in paragraph (c), for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. Section 38 of the Administration of Justice Act 1956 (attachment of debts). In subsection (2), for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. Section 143 of the County Courts Act 1959 (attachment of debts). In subsection (2), for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. Section 17 of the Trustee Investments Act 1961 (extension to the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands of so much of section 16 as relates to the Post Office Savings Bank and to trustee savings banks). In subsection (3), for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. Part I of Schedule 1 to the Trustee Investments Act 1961 (narrower-range invesments not requiring advice). In paragraph 2, for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. Enactments of the Parliament of Northern Ireland Section 25 of the Betting and Lotteries Act (Northern Ireland) 1957 (offences in connection with lotteries). In subsection (4)(c), for the words “the Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. Section 98 of the County Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1959 (investment of funds in court). In subsection (2)(c), for the words “a Post Office Savings Bank” there shall be substituted the words “the National Savings Bank”. SCHEDULE 7 SCHEDULE 8 Obsolete, &c., Enactments ceasing to have Effect Section 137. Part I Enactments ceasing to have Effect on the Passing of this Act Enactment of the Parliament of England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enactments of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enactments of the Parliament of Northern Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Part II Enactments ceasing to have Effect on the Appointed Day Enactment of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enactment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SCHEDULE 9 General transitional Provisions Section 138. 1 1 Section 3(1) of this Act shall not affect the validity of anything done by or in relation to the Postmaster General before the appointed day, being a thing done under or by virtue of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, the Television Act 1964 or the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967; and anything which, immediately before that day, is, under or by virtue of any of those Acts, in process of being done by or in relation to him (including, in particular, any legal proceeding to which he is a party) may be continued by or in relation to the Minister. 2 Any notice served, approval or authority given or other thing whatsoever done under or by virtue of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, the Television Act 1964 or the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 by the Postmaster General shall, if effective at the appointed day, continue in force and have effect as if similarly served, given or done by the Minister. 2 1 Any agreement, and any provision in a document not being an agreement, shall, so far as may be necessary in consequence of the enactment of Part III of this Act, have effect as from the appointed day— a as if references to the Crown, the Postmaster General, the Post Office or the Minister of Public Building and Works (except in cases where they fall to be adapted by head (b) or (c) below) were (or, if the context so requires, included) references to the authority established by section 6 of this Act; b as if— i references in general terms (however worded) to offic