Railways Act 1993

SCHEDULE 3 The Rail Passengers’ Council

Section 3. Preliminary 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remuneration of, and allowances for, members 2 There shall be paid to the chairman and other members of the Rail Passengers’ Council such remuneration, and such travelling and other allowances, as the Authority may . . . determine. Allowances for other members 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Administration etc. 4 The Authority shall make arrangements for the Rail Passengers’ Council to be provided with office accommodation and with such services as he considers appropriate to enable them to carry out their functions. Proceedings 5 (1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph and paragraph 6 below, the Rail Passengers’ Council may regulate their own procedure, including quorum. (2) The Rail Passengers’ Council shall meet when convened by the chairman, and in any case shall meet at least twice a year. (3) Without prejudice to the discretion of the chairman to call a meeting whenever he thinks fit, he shall call a meeting when required to do so by any three members of the Rail Passengers’ Council. (4) Minutes shall be kept of the proceedings at every meeting of the Rail Passengers’ Council; and copies of those minutes shall be sent to the Secretary of State and the Authority. (5) A person who is a member of the Rail Passengers’ Council by virtue of being the chairman of a Rail Passengers’ Committee may appoint another member of that Rail Passengers’ Committee to attend any meeting of the committee in his stead. (6) The validity of any proceedings of the committee shall not be affected by any vacancy amongst the members or by any defect in the appointment of a member. Admission of public to meetings 6 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, meetings of the Rail Passengers’ Council shall be open to the public. (2) The public shall be excluded during any item of business where— (a) it is likely, were members of the public to be present during that item, that information furnished in confidence to the Rail Passengers’ Council by the the Office of Rail Regulation or the Authority would be disclosed in breach of the obligation of confidence; (b) the Rail Passengers’ Council have resolved that, by reason of the confidential nature of the item or for other special reasons stated in the resolution, it is desirable in the public interest that the public be excluded; (c) it is likely, were members of the public to be present during that item, that there would be disclosed to them— (i) any matter which relates to the affairs of an individual, or (ii) any matter which relates specifically to the affairs of a particular body of persons, whether corporate or unincorporate, or (d) the circumstances are such as are specified in, or determined by a resolution of the Rail Passengers’ Council in accordance with, an order made by the Secretary of State. where public disclosure of that matter would or might, in the opinion of the Rail Passengers’ Council, seriously and prejudicially affect the interests of that individual or body. (3) The Rail Passengers’ Council shall give such notice— (a) of any meeting of the Rail Passengers’ Council which is open to the public, and (b) of the business to be taken at that meeting (other than items during which the public is to be excluded), as they consider appropriate for the purpose of bringing the meeting to the attention of interested members of the public. Sub-committees 7 (1) The Rail Passengers’ Council may . . . — (a) establish committees through which the Rail Passengers’ Council may carry out such of their functions as they may determine; (b) appoint such persons (including persons who are not members of the Rail Passengers’ Council) to be members of any such committee as they may determine; and (c) regulate the procedure of any such committee. (2) Persons appointed under sub-paragraph (1) above who are not members of the Rail Passengers’ Council may be reimbursed for their travelling expenses and such of their out-of-pocket expenses as do not relate to loss of remuneration. Financial provisions 8 (1) There shall be paid by the Authority— (a) any sums payable to or in respect of any person under paragraph 2 . . . or 7 above; and (b) any expenses incurred by the Rail Passengers’ Council (provided that the Rail Passengers’ Council complied with their financial duties in incurring them). (2) The Authority may determine the financial duties of the Rail Passengers’ Council; and different determinations may be made for different functions of the Rail Passengers’ Council. (3) The Authority shall give the Rail Passengers’ Council notice of every determination of its financial duties; and such a determination may— (a) relate to a period beginning before, on or after the date on which it is made; (b) contain supplementary provisions; and (c) be varied by a subsequent determination. Amendment of other Acts 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .