This Order may be cited as the General Optical Council (Education Committee Rules) Order of Council 1999.

THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE RULES 1999

The General Optical Council in exercise of their powers under section 2(2) of the Opticians Act 1989(4), hereby make the following Rules:-�

1. These Rules may be cited as the Education Committee Rules 1999.

2. In these Rules "the Act" means the Opticians Act 1989 and "the Committee" means the Education Committee continued under section 2 of the Act.

3. The Committee shall consist of the persons appointed under Rules 4 and 5 of these Rules.

4. The Council shall appoint from among their members the following members of the Committee:-�

(a)Three members of the Council from among the persons nominated by the Privy Council in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1(a) of Schedule 1 to the Act, one of whom shall be the person nominated by the Privy Council as specially qualified to advise the Council on educational problems generally.

(b)Two members of the Council from among the persons chosen under paragraph 1(b) of that Schedule to represent registered ophthalmic opticians.

(c)Three members of the Council from among the persons chosen under paragraph 1(c) to represent registered dispensing opticians or nominated under paragraph 4(b) of that Schedule; and with effect from 1st January 2002, three members of the Council from among the persons chosen under paragraph 1(c) of that Schedule to represent registered dispensing opticians.

(d)The members of the Council nominated by the College of Optometrists pursuant to paragraph 4(a) of that Schedule.

(e)The member of the Council engaged in the education or examination of persons training as ophthalmic opticians nominated pursuant to paragraph 4(c) of that Schedule.

(f)With effect from 1st January 2002, the member of the Council nominated by the Association of British Dispensing Opticians pursuant to paragraph 4(d)(5) of that Schedule.

(g)Two members of the Council from among the persons nominated by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, pursuant to paragraph 5 of that Schedule.

5. The Council shall appoint to the Committee:-�

(a)one person appearing to the Council to represent persons training student ophthalmic opticians;

(b)one person appearing to the Council to represent persons training student dispensing opticians; and

(c)one person nominated by the Secretary of State,

being in each case persons who are not members of the Council.

6. Appointments to the Committee shall be for a period not exceeding one year expiring on the 31st December following the appointment. Provided that where a member, other than a member appointed under Rule 5 of these Rules, ceases to be a member of the Council, he shall cease to be a member of the Committee.

7. A member of the Committee may at any time, by notice in writing addressed to the Registrar of the Council, resign his office.

8. Where a casual vacancy occurs among the members of the Committee, it shall be filled by a person appointed by the Council as being a person having qualifications for membership similar to those of the member whose office has become vacant. Provided that if a vacancy occurs after the 30th September in any year there shall be no obligation to fill the vacancy before the succeeding 1st January.

9. A person appointed to fill a casual vacancy shall hold office until the date upon which the member whose vacancy he has filled would have regularly retired.

10. The Education Committee Rules 1973(6) and the Education Committee (Amendment) Rules 1984(7) are hereby revoked.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

The Rules approved by this Order make provision for the new composition of the Education Committee of the General Optical Council to reflect changes in the composition of the General Council made by the General Optical Council (Membership) Order of Council 1998. They replace rules approved by the General Optical Council (Education Committee Rules) Order of Council 1974 as amended by the General Optical Council (Education Committee Rules) (Amendment) Order of Council 1984.