Final answer:
Incidental authority allows an agent like Geoffrey to contract for vehicle repairs because it is necessary for performing his delivery duties for Smith's Meat Products Limited.
Step-by-step explanation:
The legal theory that would allow Geoffrey to contract a garage for the repair of the principal’s van, in this case, Smith's Meat Products Limited, would be d. Incidental Authority. Incidental authority is a legal concept that permits an agent to take reasonable actions that are necessary to carry out or perform the principal duties expressly authorized by the principal.
In the context of Geoffrey's duties as a delivery agent, contracting a garage to repair a broken-down company van is an action that would typically fall within the scope of incidental authority, as it is a necessary step to continue fulfilling the primary task of product delivery. Geoffrey does not require express, actual, or apparent authority specifically for vehicle repair, but rather, he is assumed to have the power to handle such unforeseen minor emergencies that arise during the course of his usual duties.
Geoffrey would have actual authority to contract a garage for the repair of the principal's van. Actual authority is the authority given to an agent by the principal, through words or conduct, to act on behalf of the principal within the scope of their employment. When Geoffrey is delivering products for Smith's Meat Products Limited, he is acting within the scope of his employment and therefore has the authority to make decisions, such as contracting a garage for the van repair.