Commentary on Sections Section 93: Section 92: consequential amendments
521.This section makes amendments to section 17 of the Gas Act 1986 (c.44) which are consequential on the transfer of functions from the Authority to the Secretary of State and relate to meter examiners.
522.Meter examiners are currently appointed by the Authority (in future, by the Secretary of State) under section 17. Examiners carry out much of the technical work done under that section and gas meter regulations. At present, most meter examiners are not civil servants.
523.By inserting a new subsection (7A) into section 17, subsection (4) makes provision for the Secretary of State to contribute towards the remuneration and pensions of non-civil service meter examiners and the maintenance of the equipment they use to perform their statutory functions. The new subsection provides clarity about payments to non-civil servant meter examiners (and, in some cases, their employers) in respect of the carrying out of statutory functions.