English Industrial Estates Corporation Act 1981 (Repealed 1.4.1994) Constitution, status and functions of the Corporation The Corporation. 1 1 There shall continue to be a body corporate named the English Industrial Estates Corporation (in this Act referred to as “ the Corporation ”) which shall be charged as respects England with the exercise of the functions conferred on it by the provisions of this Act. 2 The Corporation shall consist of a chairman and such number of other members as the Secretary of State thinks fit. 3 The members of the Corporation shall be appointed by the Secretary of State and shall include— a a person appearing to him to have adequate experience of industrial matters; b a person appearing to him to have adequate experience in the organisation of workers; and c one or more persons appearing to him to have adequate experience in accountancy, building or estate management. 4 The Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument make provision with respect to— a the appointment, tenure of office and removal of members of the Corporation; b the manner of execution of instruments and of entering into contracts by it and on its behalf; and c the proof of documents executed by it or on its behalf; and a statutory instrument made in the exercise of this power shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament. 5 The Corporation shall not be regarded as the servant or agent of the Crown or as enjoying any status, immunity or privilege of the Crown, or as exempt from any tax, duty, rate, levy or other charge whatsoever, whether general or local; and the property of the Corporation shall not be regarded as the property of, or property held on behalf of, the Crown. 6 The provisions of Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect in relation to the Corporation. Functions of the Corporation. 2 1 The Corporation may, in accordance with directions given under subsection (4) below,— a provide, facilitate the provision of, and manage sites and premises in England for occupation by industrial or commercial undertakings; b provide, and facilitate the provision of, means of access, services and other facilities required in connection with sites and premises in England occupied or to be occupied by such undertakings; and c dispose for any purpose of land and other property held by the Corporation. 1A Subject to directions given under subsection (4) below, the Corporation may provide, or assist in the provision of— a any services which appear to the Corporation to be calculated to facilitate or improve the running of an industrial or commercial undertaking; and b advisory services in relation to the establishment or location of any such undertaking. 1B Subsection (1A) above only applies where— a the undertaking in question is in occupation of any site or premises provided or managed by the Corporation or whose provision has been facilitated by the Corporation under subsection (1)( a ) above; or b any exercise by the Corporation of any of its powers under subsection (1)( a ) above in relation to the provision or management of any site or premises for occupation by that undertaking is in view, 2 Subject to directions given under subsection (4) below, the Corporation may do anything, whether in England or elsewhere, which is calculated to facilitate or is conducive or incidental to the discharge of its functions, and in particular, without prejudice to the generality of the preceding provisions of this subsection, may— a act alone or with other persons, either in partnership or otherwise; b acquire land, plant, machinery and equipment and other property; c form, or acquire interests in, bodies corporate; and d make loans and guarantee obligations (arising out of loans or otherwise) incurred by other persons. 3 In the preceding provisions of this section references to the provision of premises include references to the carrying out of any works and the provision of any plant, machinery or equipment, on or for the purposes of any premises; and references to an industrial or commercial undertaking include references to any activity providing employment. 4 The Secretary of State may give the Corporation general or specific directions and the Corporation shall comply with any such directions. 5 The Corporation shall have the power to provide, or assist in the provision of, advisory services in relation to the building of factories or the development or management of industrial estates, both in relation to factories or industrial estates outside Great Britain as well as in England. 6 If it appears to the Secretary of State than an undertaking is to be, or has been, set up in an area for the time being specified as a development area or intermediate area under section 1 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 , and that there are circumstances which justify the giving of special assistance, the Secretary of State may authorise the Corporation to provide premises for the occupation of the undertaking free of rent for such period as the Secretary of State thinks appropriate. 7 In subsection (6) above “ undertaking ” means any trade or business, or any other activity providing employment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Financial provisions Power for the Corporation to borrow. 4 1 For the purpose of the exercise of any of its functions, the Corporation may, in accordance with directions under section 2(4) above given with the approval of the Treasury, borrow either in sterling or in a currency other than sterling from any person other than the Secretary of State. 2 The aggregate amount outstanding in respect of the principal of sums borrowed under this section and section 13 of the Industry Act 1980 shall not exceed £30 million or such greater sum not exceeding £50 million as the Secretary of State may with the approval of the Treasury by order specify. 3 The power to make orders under this section shall be exercisable by statutory instrument, and no such order shall be made unless a draft of it has been laid before and approved by resolution of the House of Commons. Treasury guarantees. 5 1 The Treasury may guarantee, in such manner and on such conditions as they think fit, the repayment of the principal of, the payment of interest on and the discharge of any other financial obligation in connection with , any sums borrowed under section 13 of the Industry Act 1980 or section 4 above. 2 Immediately after a guarantee is given under this section, the Treasury shall lay a statement of the guarantee before each House of Parliament; and where any sum is issued for fulfilling a guarantee so given the Treasury shall, as soon as possible after the end of each financial year (beginning with that in which the sum is issued and ending with that in which all liability in respect of the principal of the sum and in respect of interest thereon is finally discharged) lay before each House of Parliament a statement relating to that sum. 3 Any sums required by the Treasury for fulfilling a guarantee under this section shall be charged on and issued out of the Consolidated Fund. 4 If any sums are issued in fulfilment of a guarantee given under this section, the Corporation shall make to the Treasury, at such times and in such manner as the Treasury may from time to time direct, payments of such amounts as the Treasury may so direct in or towards repayment of the sums so issued and payments of interest at such rate as the Treasury may so direct on what is outstanding for the time being in respect of sums so issued. 5 Any sums received under subsection (4) above by the Treasury shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund. Receipts and expenditure. 6 1 All receipts of the Corporation other than— a receipts determined by the Corporation in accordance with any directions under section 2(4) above to be required to be retained for meeting any of its expenses and b receipts consisting of sums borrowed under section 13 of the Industry Act 1980 or section 4 above, shall be paid over to the Secretary of State. 2 The expenses of the Corporation incurred in the exercise of its functions under this Act, . . . , shall, except in so far as they are met out of the receipts of the Corporation, be defrayed by the Secretary of State. Accounts and reports of the Corporation. 7 1 The Corporation shall keep proper accounts and proper records in relation to the accounts, and shall prepare in respect of each financial year a statement of accounts in such form as the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Treasury, may direct, being a form conforming with the best commercial standards. 2 The accounts of the Corporation shall be audited by auditors to be appointed annually by the Secretary of State. 3 No person shall be appointed under subsection (2) above unless he is eligible for appointment as a company auditor under section 25 of the Companies Act 1989. 4 So soon as the accounts of the Corporation for any financial year have been audited, the Corporation shall send to the Secretary of State a report on the discharge of its functions during that year and that report shall include a copy of the statement of accounts for that year together with a copy of any report made by the auditors on the accounts. 4A The Secretary of State shall lay before Parliament copies of every report by the Corporation on the discharge of its functions which is sent to him under subsection (4) above. 4B Section 6 of the National Audit Act 1983 (which enables the Comptroller and Auditor General to conduct examinations into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which certain departments, authorities and bodies have used their resources) shall apply to the Corporation. 5 In this section (as in section 5 above) “ financial year ” means the period of twelve months ending with 31st March. Miscellaneous and general Extension of Secretary of State’s power to acquire land. 8 The power to acquire land conferred on the Secretary of State by section 14(1) of the Industrial Development Act 1982 (provision of sites and premises) shall include power to acquire land with a view to transferring it to the Corporation. Amendments, transitional provisions and repeals. 9 1 In subsection (1) of section 60 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (special provisions as to premises of which an Industrial Estates Corporation, among others, is the landlord) for the words “an Industrial Estates Corporation” there shall be substituted the words “the English Industrial Estates Corporation”. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Planning permission shall be deemed to have been granted under section 70 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in respect of any development initiated by the Corporation before the end of March 1981. 4 The enactments specified in Schedule 2 to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent specified in the third column of that Schedule. 5 The repeal by this Act of section 11(1) of the Industry Act 1980 does not affect— a the title of the Corporation to land vested in it by virtue of that section; or b any rights, liabilities or obligations relating to any such land and in existence immediately before that repeal took effect. Short title, commencement and extent. 10 1 This Act may be cited as the English Industrial Estates Corporation Act 1981. 2 This Act shall come into force at the expiry of the period of one month beginning with the day on which it is passed. 3 Subject to subsection (4) below, this Act does not extend to Scotland or Northern Ireland. 4 The following provisions of this Act extend to Scotland— a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b section 9(4) and Schedule 2, to the extent that the provisions repealed extend to Scotland.