S.I. No. 2/1951 - Prices Advisory Body Order, 1951.

S.I. No. 2 of 1951.

PRICES ADVISORY BODY ORDER, 1951.

I, DANIEL MORRISSEY, Minister for Industry and Commerce, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946 (Continuance and Amendment) Act, 1950 (No. 34 of 1950), hereby order as follows:—

1. This Order may be cited as the Prices Advisory Body Order, 1951.

2. In this Order—

" the Minister " means the Minister for Industry and Commerce;

" member " means a member of the Prices Advisory Body;

" enquiry " means an enquiry in accordance with this Order.

3. There is hereby established a body to be known as the Prices Advisory Body.

4. The functions of the Prices Advisory Body shall be to keep under review the prices of commodities and services and to advise the Minister thereon in accordance with this Order.

5. (1) The Prices Advisory Body may, on their own initiative, and shall, at the request of the Minister, enquire into the prices charged for any commodity or service.

(2) An enquiry may be general or relate to a particular area or to prices charged under particular conditions or be otherwise limited in scope.

(3) For the purpose of an enquiry relating to a commodity or service the Prices Advisory Body may investigate the profits of persons dealing in the commodity or providing the service.

(4) In the conduct of an enquiry at the request of the Minister, the Prices Advisory Body shall comply with his directions as to its nature and scope.

(5) On completing an enquiry the Prices Advisory Body shall report thereon to the Minister.

6. (1) The Prices Advisory Body shall cause to be published in such manner as they think fit notice of their intention to hold an equiry.

(2) Any person may make a submission to the Prices Advisory Body in the manner prescribed by their rules in relation to the subject matter of an enquiry.

(3) An enquiry may be held in public or in private, or partly in public and partly in private, as the Prices Advisory Body may think fit.

7. No person shall disclose information available to him only through being present at a meeting held in private except in the execution of his duties under the Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946 (No. 22 of 1946), or this Order or for the purpose of legal proceedings under that Act.

8. Whenever an enquiry is being held into a particular matter and any member is personally interested in the matter he shall inform the Minister accordingly and shall not, unless authorised by the Minister, act as a member for the purpose of the enquiry.

9. (1) The Prices Advisory Body shall consist of a chairman, vice-chairman and such number of other members as the Minister may appoint.

(2) The Minister may appoint persons to be members for the purpose of a particular enquiry.

(3) The terms of office and conditions of service of a member shall be fixed by the Minister.

(4) A member may be removed by the Minister from office and may resign his office.

(5) A member shall be paid such remuneration and allowances for expenses as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may determine.

(6) The Civil Service Regulation Acts, 1924, and 1926, shall not apply to the office of member.

10. (1) The chairman shall, when present, preside at all meetings.

(2) In the absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman shall act as chairman of the meeting.

(3) Every question at a meeting shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting and, in the event of a tie, the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

(4) The quorum for a meeting shall be such number as the Prices Advisory Body may from time to time fix, or, if no quorum is for the time being so fixed, two.

(5) Subject to the foregoing provisions, the Prices Advisory Body may act notwithstanding vacancies in their membership.

(6) Subject to this Order, the Prices Advisory Body may make rules for the regulation of their proceedings.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 2nd day of January, 1951.

DANIEL MORRISSEY,

Minister for Industry and Commerce.