Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Under an Act passed by the UK Parliament in 1931, there was established an Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom (ARCUK), referred to in the Act as "the Council". The constitution of the Council was prescribed by the First Schedule to the Act. The Act made the Council a body corporate by the name Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom. It was habitually referred to colloquially by the acronym ARCUK.
When the Warne Report
was published in 1993, it was found that its principal recommendation was abolition of this body. Instead, after a consultation process conducted by the Department of the Environment
this body has been reconstituted and renamed as the Architects Registration Board
. It now operates under the Architects Act 1997
.
. Its long title
was "An Act to provide for the Registration of Architects and for purposes connected therewith". It stated that the Council's duty was to set up and maintain a register, referred to in the Act as "the Register of Architects
". The Act required the Council to cause to be entered in the Register the name and address of every person entitled to be registered under the Act, and annually to publish and offer for sale copies of the Register, setting forth the names of the registered persons in alphabetical order according to their surnames, with their regular business address.
referred to in the Act as "the Board", and a committee referred to in the Act as "the Admissions Committee".
The constitution of the Board was prescribed by the Second Schedule to the Act. By the Act two duties were ascribed to the Board, namely, to hold examinations in architecture in accordance with the Act, and to make recommendations to the Council in two respects, namely:
The constitution of the Admissions Committee was prescribed in the Third Schedule to the Act. The duty ascribed by the Act to the Admissions Committee was to consider every application for registration under the Act and to report thereon to the Council as to whether the applicant was, in the opinion of the Committee, qualified for registration.
Before a person who had duly applied to the Council could become entitled to be registered, the Act required the Council to be satisfied on a report of the Admission Committee that the applicant was qualified in one of four respects, namely:
The Council was required to make regulations in respect of anything which by the Act was to be prescribed, but no regulations of the Council were to be of any force or validity without the prior approval of the Privy Council
.
Among other things, the 1996 Act
abolished the statutory Board of Architectural Education
and the Admissions Committee (subsection 118(2)).
of the originating Act of 1931 was "An Act to provide for the Registration of architects and for purposes connected therewith". By subsection 3(3) of this Act the register which the Council was required to set up, maintain and publish annually was to be called the Register of Registered Architects; and under section 10 of the originating Act persons who were entitled to apply for registration could thereby claim "to take and use the name of 'Registered Architect'" as a statutory right, with effect from 1932.
By subsection 3(3) of the Architects Registration Act, 1938 the name of this statutory register was changed to the Register of Architects
, and this continues under the Architects Act 1997
.
The change of name was made in connection with the introduction of statutory restrictions on the use of the vernacular word "architect", which were to apply to all persons, including fully qualified practising members of the Royal Institute of British Architects
(RIBA) or other chartered bodies of architects, or societies or associations. This innovation was imposed under threat of penalty
on prosecution in the Magistrates Courts for infringement.
When the Warne Report
Warne Report
The Warne Report was published by the United Kingdom Government in 1993. It was referred to in a government consultation paper on Reform of Architects Registration dated 19 July 1994...
was published in 1993, it was found that its principal recommendation was abolition of this body. Instead, after a consultation process conducted by the Department of the Environment
Secretary of State for the Environment
The Secretary of State for the Environment was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Department of the Environment . This was created by Edward Heath as a combination of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Building and Works on 15...
this body has been reconstituted and renamed as the Architects Registration Board
Architects Registration Board
The Architects Registration Board is the statutory body for the registration of architects in the United Kingdom. It operates under the Architects Act 1997 as amended, a consolidating Act. It began under the Architects Act, 1931 which gave it the name the Architects' Registration Council of the...
. It now operates under the Architects Act 1997
Architects Act 1997
The Architects Act 1997 is the consolidating Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the keeping and publishing of the statutory Register of Architects by the Architects Registration Board...
.
The statutory Register
The originating Act was the Architects (Registration) Act, 1931Architects (Registration) Acts, 1931 to 1938
The Architects Acts, 1931 to 1938 is the statutory citation for three Acts of the United Kingdom Parliament, namely:* The Architects Act, 1931;* The Architects Act, 1934; and...
. Its long title
Long title
The long title is the formal title appearing at the head of a statute or other legislative instrument...
was "An Act to provide for the Registration of Architects and for purposes connected therewith". It stated that the Council's duty was to set up and maintain a register, referred to in the Act as "the Register of Architects
Register of Architects
From 1932 there has been a statutory Register of Architects under legislation of the United Kingdom Parliament originally enacted in 1931. The originating Act contained ancillary provisions for entering an architect’s name in the register and removing a name from it which later legislation has...
". The Act required the Council to cause to be entered in the Register the name and address of every person entitled to be registered under the Act, and annually to publish and offer for sale copies of the Register, setting forth the names of the registered persons in alphabetical order according to their surnames, with their regular business address.
Qualification
For ascertaining whether a person who claimed to be entitled to be registered was duly qualified, the Act required the Council to appoint annually a Board of Architectural EducationBoard of Architectural Education
The Board of Architectural Education is no longer appointed. It had been a statutory body in the United Kingdom constituted under section 5 of the Architects Act, 1931....
referred to in the Act as "the Board", and a committee referred to in the Act as "the Admissions Committee".
The constitution of the Board was prescribed by the Second Schedule to the Act. By the Act two duties were ascribed to the Board, namely, to hold examinations in architecture in accordance with the Act, and to make recommendations to the Council in two respects, namely:
- the recognition of any examinations in architecture the passing of which ought, in the opinion of the Board, to qualify persons for registration under the Act; and
- the holding of any examination in architecture which ought, in the opinion of the Board, to be passed by applicants for registration under the Act.
The constitution of the Admissions Committee was prescribed in the Third Schedule to the Act. The duty ascribed by the Act to the Admissions Committee was to consider every application for registration under the Act and to report thereon to the Council as to whether the applicant was, in the opinion of the Committee, qualified for registration.
Before a person who had duly applied to the Council could become entitled to be registered, the Act required the Council to be satisfied on a report of the Admission Committee that the applicant was qualified in one of four respects, namely:
- membership of the Royal AcademyRoyal AcademyThe Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
or of the Royal Scottish AcademyRoyal Scottish AcademyThe Royal Scottish Academy is a Scottish organisation that promotes contemporary Scottish art. Founded in 1826, as the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts, the RSA maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and...
; or - practising as an architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
at the commencement of the Act; or - having passed any examination in architecture which was for the time being recognised by the Council; or
- possessing "the prescribed qualifications".
The Council was required to make regulations in respect of anything which by the Act was to be prescribed, but no regulations of the Council were to be of any force or validity without the prior approval of the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
.
Among other things, the 1996 Act
Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996
The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its long title shows that it is a piece of omnibus legislation:...
abolished the statutory Board of Architectural Education
Board of Architectural Education
The Board of Architectural Education is no longer appointed. It had been a statutory body in the United Kingdom constituted under section 5 of the Architects Act, 1931....
and the Admissions Committee (subsection 118(2)).
Restrictions on use of "architect"
The long titleLong title
The long title is the formal title appearing at the head of a statute or other legislative instrument...
of the originating Act of 1931 was "An Act to provide for the Registration of architects and for purposes connected therewith". By subsection 3(3) of this Act the register which the Council was required to set up, maintain and publish annually was to be called the Register of Registered Architects; and under section 10 of the originating Act persons who were entitled to apply for registration could thereby claim "to take and use the name of 'Registered Architect'" as a statutory right, with effect from 1932.
By subsection 3(3) of the Architects Registration Act, 1938 the name of this statutory register was changed to the Register of Architects
Register of Architects
From 1932 there has been a statutory Register of Architects under legislation of the United Kingdom Parliament originally enacted in 1931. The originating Act contained ancillary provisions for entering an architect’s name in the register and removing a name from it which later legislation has...
, and this continues under the Architects Act 1997
Architects Act 1997
The Architects Act 1997 is the consolidating Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the keeping and publishing of the statutory Register of Architects by the Architects Registration Board...
.
The change of name was made in connection with the introduction of statutory restrictions on the use of the vernacular word "architect", which were to apply to all persons, including fully qualified practising members of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
(RIBA) or other chartered bodies of architects, or societies or associations. This innovation was imposed under threat of penalty
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
on prosecution in the Magistrates Courts for infringement.
Professional conduct
The Discipline Committee which was constituted under the 1931 Act was abolished under subsection 118(2) of the 1996 Act. Instead there is a Professional Conduct Committee which operates under Part III of the 1997 Act.See also
- The Architects (Registration) Acts, 1931 to 1938Architects (Registration) Acts, 1931 to 1938The Architects Acts, 1931 to 1938 is the statutory citation for three Acts of the United Kingdom Parliament, namely:* The Architects Act, 1931;* The Architects Act, 1934; and...
.
- Extent and citations of the Acts
- Formation and duties of ARCUK
- Architects Act 1997
- Regulations and rules
- Penal restriction
- The Board of Architectural EducationBoard of Architectural EducationThe Board of Architectural Education is no longer appointed. It had been a statutory body in the United Kingdom constituted under section 5 of the Architects Act, 1931....
- The Board of Architectural Education
- Nomination and appointment
- Statutory nomenclature
- Reform of Architects RegistrationReform of Architects Registration"Reform of Architects Registration" was the title of a UK government consultation paper dated 19 July 1994 which was issued by the Department of the Environment...
, (Warne ReportWarne ReportThe Warne Report was published by the United Kingdom Government in 1993. It was referred to in a government consultation paper on Reform of Architects Registration dated 19 July 1994...
and Consultation) - Architects Registration in the United KingdomArchitects Registration in the United KingdomIn the United Kingdom, the Architects Act 1997 imposes restrictions on the use of the name, style or title "architect" in connection with a business or a professional practice, and for that purpose requires a statutory Register of Architects to be maintained...
:
- Reform of Architects Registration
- Use ot title
- Background to legislation, cc19-20
- Three aspects
- 1931 regime
- From 1990s
- Chronology 1834-1997
- The present legislation
- Summary of legislative history
- The "burdens" and "choices"
- Side-effects
- Membership of the Board
- Duties of the Board
- "Architecture" and "architectural services"
- The Architects Registration BoardArchitects Registration BoardThe Architects Registration Board is the statutory body for the registration of architects in the United Kingdom. It operates under the Architects Act 1997 as amended, a consolidating Act. It began under the Architects Act, 1931 which gave it the name the Architects' Registration Council of the...
- The Architects Registration Board
- Links to the Architects Act 1997