594.This Part gives the Treasury powers by order to transfer the functions of the Building Societies Commission, the Friendly Societies Commission and the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies and functions under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts and the Credit Unions Act 1979.  These transfers will be achieved by orders made under sections 334 to 339.
595.It is envisaged that the powers will be exercised to ensure that the functions which relate to the registration and regulation of societies under the existing legislation will be transferred to the Authority.  For example, the functions to be transferred to the Authority are likely to include the power to require, or approve, a transfer of the business of a mutual society to another society or to a company.
596.The relevant legislation also confers power on the Building Societies Commission, Friendly Societies Commission and the Chief Registrar, often subject to the consent of the Treasury, to set requirements as to the registration and constitution of such societies.  Such powers are exercised by statutory instrument.  Those powers are different in character from the financial regulatory powers of the Authority under the Act.  It is proposed that such functions will transfer to the Treasury.
597.These transfer provisions also include power for the Treasury to dissolve the existing bodies, it being envisaged that all their functions will have been transferred.  The Treasury will be able to make supplemental provision, for example, to transfer the property, rights and liabilities of bodies which are being dissolved or to amend the existing legislation in the light of the transfer of functions.  For example, where the existing legislation divides functions as between the different parts of the United Kingdom, some consolidation may be required to reflect the fact that the Authority is a single corporate entity.
598.Schedule 18 makes certain amendments to the legislation governing mutuals.  Further amendments to that legislation which are consequential on the provisions of this Act will be made by order under section 426.
Commentary on Sections Part Xxi: Mutual Societies