616.Section 407 provides that the Secretary of State may exercise functions which will become exercisable by another body or person under or by virtue of this Act, for the purpose of appointing such persons as he considers necessary to provide for the satisfactory operation of any provision made by or under this Act when it comes into force.  The power of the Secretary of State to exercise such functions for the purposes of appointing staff only continues until the relevant function becomes exercisable by the person or body concerned.  When that function becomes so exercisable, the staff so appointed may be transferred to that person or body. Accordingly, any such staff may be appointed on terms and conditions which differ from standard Civil Service ones.
617.The power may be used, for example, to allow staff presently working within the London Ecology Unit, London Planning Advisory Committee and London Research Centre to be employed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions between the abolition of the three bodies, which it is anticipated will be on 1 April 2000, and the establishment of the GLA, which it is anticipated will be on 8 May 2000.  It will also allow persons who will eventually work for the GLA and functional bodies to be recruited in advance of their establishment to do the necessary groundwork so that the bodies can operate effectively from the outset.  The intention is that the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions or the Home Secretary, as appropriate, would act as the employer of these persons prior to their transfer to the GLA or the relevant functional body once they had been established.
Commentary on Sections Part Xii: Supplementary Provisions Section 407:  Appointments by the Secretary of State