In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them, that is to say:—

• “Chairman of Ways and Means” means the Chairman of Ways and Means in the House of Commons, and includes any deputy acting on his behalf in accordance with Standing Orders;

• F1“Local authority” means any authority being, within the meaning of the M1Local Loans Act 1875, an authority having power to levy a rate.

• F1“Local authority”means –

• (a) a charging authority, a precepting authority, a combined police authority or a combined fire authority, as defined in section 144 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988;

• (b) a levying body within the meaning of section 74 of that Act; and

• (c) a body as regards which section 75 of that Act applies.

• “Lord Chairman of Committees” means the Lord Chairman of Committees of the House of Lords, and includes any deputy acting on his behalf in accordance with Standing Orders;

• “Order” includes a scheme, certificate or byelaws;

• “Prescribed” means prescribed by Standing Orders under this Act;

• “Standing Orders” means standing orders of the House of Lords and the House of Commons respectively;

• “The applicant,” in relation to an order to which this Act applies, means the person on whose application the order is made or confirmed;

• “The Minister,” in relation to any such order, means the Minister of the Crown responsible for laying the order before Parliament.

For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that any power to amend or revoke an order to which this Act applies by a subsequent order may be exercised notwithstanding that the original order has been confirmed by Act of Parliament in accordance with the provisions of this Act.