Citation

1. This Order may be cited as the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2000.

Commencement for London

2.-(1) Section 1 of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 ("the Act"), so far as it relates to the establishment of a regional development agency for London, shall come into force on 3rd July 2000.

(2) For the purposes of the London Development Agency-

(a)section 2 of the Act shall come into force on 8th May 2000 for the purpose only of enabling the Mayor to consult on the appointment of persons to be members of the Agency;

(b)section 6(1) and (2) of the Act, and section 6(6) so far as it relates to paragraph 1(1), paragraphs 2 to 10 and paragraph 13 of Schedule 3 to the Act, shall come into force on 8th May 2000; and

(c)sections 2 to 42 of the Act, in so far as they are not already in force, shall come into force on 3rd July 2000.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into force the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 ("the Act") so far as it is not already in force (that is so far as it relates to London). Article 2 brings into force sections 1 to 42 of the Act (and the related Schedules 1 to 9) in so far as they relate to the establishment of a regional development agency for London.

The effect of commencing section 1 of the Act is to establish the London Development Agency. Other provisions of Part I of the Act commenced by the Order (sections 2 to 33 and Schedules 2 to 7) relate to the constitution of the Agency, its status, purposes and functions, the vesting and acquisition of land, and miscellaneous and supplementary matters. Part I is amended by the Greater London Authority Act 1999, which also regulates other matters relating to the Agency, including financial arrangements, information, reports and accountability.

Part II of the Act (sections 34 to 37) makes provision for the transfer to the regional development agencies of property, rights and liabilities of existing bodies, and empowers the Secretary of State to make orders relating to the functions of those bodies. In particular, the Secretary of State may direct the Urban Regeneration Agency to make schemes for the transfer of property, rights and liabilities to the London Development Agency.

Sections 38 to 42 in Part III of the Act make general provision relating to corporation tax, stamp duty, directions, interpretation of the Act and expenses of Ministers of the Crown attributable to the Act.

Sections 1 to 42 of the Act, in so far as they relate to the establishment of the Agency, come into force on 3rd July 2000, except for certain provisions that come into force on 8th May 2000 so that, before the Agency is established, the Mayor of London can consult on the appointment of the members of the Agency and the Secretary of State can prepare to delegate functions.

Part V of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (sections 304 to 309 and Schedule 25) amends the Act so far as it relates to the London Development Agency, in particular by conferring on the Mayor of London powers that would otherwise be exercisable by the Secretary of State. That Part is brought into force by the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (Commencement No. 4 and Adaptation) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000 No. 801 (C. 19)).