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Water Act 1989 (c. 15)

(The document as of February, 2008)

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(d) of requiring other references in any enactment or subordinate legislation to an undertaker of the relevant description or to the area of that undertaker, to be construed, so far as necessary for the purposes of, or in connection with, the carrying out by that company of the functions of an undertaker of that description, as references to that company or, as the case may be, to that area.

(3) The appointment of a company to be a water undertaker or sewerage undertaker shall be by service on the company of an instrument in writing containing the appointment and describing the area for which it is made; and a single instrument may contain the appointment of a company to be the sewerage undertaker for an area and the appointment of the same company to be the water undertaker for the whole or any part of that area or for an area which includes the whole or any part of that area.

(4) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to make such appointments under this Chapter as will secure--

(a) that on the transfer date a statutory water company becomes the water undertaker for the area appointment for which will, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, ensure that the company continues to supply water for the same area on and after that date as immediately before; and

(b) that on the transfer date the successor companies become water undertakers for areas comprising so much of England and Wales as is not the subject of appointments by virtue of paragraph (a) above and sewerage undertakers for the areas which immediately before that date are the water authorities' areas for the purposes of section 14 of the 1973 Act (sewerage and sewage disposal);

and to secure that such appointments are made under this Chapter as will ensure that for every area of England and Wales there is at all times on and after the transfer date both a company holding an appointment under this Chapter as water undertaker and (whether or not the same company in relation to the whole or any part of that area) a company holding an appointment as sewerage undertaker.

(5) A company shall not be appointed to be a water undertaker unless it is a limited company or a statutory water company and shall not be appointed to be a sewerage undertaker unless it is a limited company.

(6) Subject to subsection (7) and section 12 below--

(a) the Secretary of State; and

(b) with the consent of or in accordance with a general authorisation given by the Secretary of State, the Director,

shall have power, by notice to a company holding an appointment under this Chapter, to terminate the appointment or to vary the area to which it relates.

(7) The appointment of a company to be a water undertaker or sewerage undertaker shall not be terminated or otherwise cease to relate to or to any part of any area except with effect from the coming into force of such appointments and variations to which section 12 below applies as secure either--

(a) that another company becomes the water undertaker or, as the case may be, sewerage undertaker for that area or part or for an area that includes that area or part; or

(b) that two or more companies each become the water undertaker or, as the case may be, sewerage undertaker for one of a number of different areas that together constitute or include that area or part.

(8) As soon as practicable after making an appointment under this Chapter or exercising any power to vary the area to which such an appointment relates, the Secretary of State shall send a copy of the appointment or variation to the Director.

(9) In the [1975 c. 24.] House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, in Part III of Schedule 1 (other disqualifying offices), there shall be inserted (at the appropriate place) the following entry--

" Director of a company for the time being holding an appointment under Chapter I of Part II of the Water Act 1989 or of such a company's holding company, being a director nominated or appointed by a Minister of the Crown or by a person acting on behalf of the Crown. " ;

and the like insertion shall be made in Part III of Schedule 1 to the [1975 c. 25.] Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975.

12 Restrictions on making replacement appointments

(1) This section applies--

(a) to any appointment of a company to be the water undertaker or sewerage undertaker for any area which is or includes the whole or any part of any one or more existing areas; and

(b) to any variation by virtue of which the area for which a company holds an appointment under this Chapter is modified so as to include the whole or any part of one or more existing areas.

(2) An appointment or variation to which this section applies shall not be made in relation to the whole or any part of an existing area except where--

(a) the existing appointee consents to the appointment or variation;

(b) the appointment or variation relates only to parts of that area none of the premises in which is served by the existing appointee; or

(c) the appointment or variation is made in such circumstances as may be set out for the purposes of this paragraph in the conditions of appointment of the existing appointee.

(3) In determining whether to make an appointment or variation by virtue of subsection (2)(b) above in relation to any part of an existing area, the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, the Director shall have regard, in particular, to any arrangements made or expenditure incurred by the existing appointee for the purpose of enabling premises in that part of that area to be served by the existing appointee.

(4) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, of the Director, in making an appointment or variation to which this section applies and, where he makes such an appointment or variation, in determining what provision is to be made with respect to the fixing by the new appointee of--

(a) charges in respect of services provided in the course of the carrying out of the functions of a water undertaker or sewerage undertaker; and

(b) amounts of any other description which such an undertaker is authorised by or under any enactment to require any person to pay,

to ensure, so far as may be consistent with his duties under Part I of this Act, that the interests of the members and creditors of the existing appointee are not unfairly prejudiced as respects the terms on which the new appointee could accept transfers of property, rights and liabilities from the existing appointee.

(5) For the purposes of this section premises in a part of an existing area are served by the existing appointee--

(a) in relation to an appointment or variation by virtue of which that appointee would be replaced as the water undertaker for that part of that area, if those premises--

(i) are supplied with water by means of a connection with a distribution main of the existing appointee; or

(ii) consist in a building or part of a building which is situated within thirty metres of such a main;

and

(b) in relation to an appointment or variation by virtue of which that appointee would be replaced as the sewerage undertaker for that part of that area, if those premises--

(i) are drained by means of a relevant sewer; or

(ii) consist in a building or part of a building which is situated within thirty metres of such a sewer, not being a storm-water overflow sewer.

(6) In this section--

  • "distribution main" means a water main that is not a trunk main;

  • "existing area", in relation to the appointment of any company to be the water undertaker or sewerage undertaker for any area or the variation of any company's appointment as a water undertaker or sewerage undertaker, means an area for which, until the appointment or variation comes into force, another company ("the existing appointee") holds the appointment as water undertaker or, as the case may be, sewerage undertaker;

  • "new appointee", in relation to an appointment or variation to which this section applies, means the company which by virtue of the appointment or variation becomes the water undertaker or sewerage undertaker for the whole or any part of an existing area;

  • "relevant sewer", in relation to an appointment or variation to which this section applies, means any of the following, that is to say--

    (a)

    a public sewer vested in the existing appointee;

    (b)

    a sewer in relation to which the existing appointee has made, or is treated as having made, a declaration of vesting under section 17 of the [1936 c. 49.] Public Health Act 1936 (vesting declarations) which has not yet taken effect;

    (c)

    a drain or sewer in relation to which the existing appointee has, or is treated as having, entered into an agreement under section 18 of that Act.

13 Procedure for replacement appointments

(1) An application for an appointment or variation to which section 12 above applies shall be made in such manner as may be prescribed; and, within fourteen days after making any such application, the applicant shall--

(a) serve notice of the application on the existing appointee and on every local authority whose area includes the whole or any part of the area to which the application relates; and

(b) publish a copy of the notice in such manner as may be prescribed.

(2) Before making an appointment or variation to which section 12 above applies, the Secretary of State or the Director shall give notice--

(a) stating that he proposes to make the appointment or variation;

(b) stating the reasons why he proposes to make the appointment or variation; and

(c) specifying the period (not being less than twenty-eight days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed appointment or variation may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(3) A notice under subsection (2) above shall be given--

(a) by publishing the notice in such manner as the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, the Director considers appropriate for bringing it to the attention of persons likely to be affected by the making of the proposed appointment or variation; and

(b) by serving a copy of the notice on the existing appointee and on every local authority whose area includes the whole or any part of the area to which the proposed appointment or variation relates.

(4) Before making an appointment or variation to which section 12 above applies, the Secretary of State shall consult the Director.

(5) As soon as practicable after making an appointment or variation to which section 12 above applies, the Secretary of State or the Director shall--

(a) serve a copy of the appointment or variation on the existing appointee; and

(b) serve notice of the making of the appointment or variation on every local authority whose area includes the whole or any part of the area to which the appointment or variation relates.

(6) Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the making of transitional provision for the purposes of, or in connection with, the making of an appointment or variation to which section 12 above applies.

(7) In this section "the existing appointee", in relation to an appointment or variation to which section 12 above applies, means the company which is the existing appointee for the purposes of that section in relation to any area to the whole or any part of which the appointment or variation relates or, where there is more than one such company, each of them.

14 Conditions of appointment

(1) An appointment under this Chapter may include--

(a) such conditions (whether or not connected with the supply of water, the provision of sewerage services or the exercise or performance of any power or duty conferred or imposed by or under any enactment on water undertakers or sewerage undertakers) as appear to the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, the Director to be requisite or expedient having regard to the duties imposed on him by Part I of this Act;

(b) conditions for the purposes of section 12(2)(c) above; and

(c) conditions requiring the rendering to the Secretary of State of a payment on the making of an appointment, or payments while such an appointment is in force, or both, of such amount or amounts as may be determined by or under the conditions.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) above, conditions included in an appointment by virtue of that paragraph may--

(a) require the appointed company to comply with any direction given by the Director as to such matters as are specified in the appointment or are of a description so specified;

(b) require the appointed company, except in so far as the Director consents to the company's doing or not doing them, not to do or to do such things as are specified in the appointment, or are of a description so specified; and

(c) provide for the reference to and determination by--

(i) the Secretary of State or the Director; or

(ii) on a reference by the Director, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (in this Act referred to as "the Monopolies Commission"),

of such questions arising under the appointment and of such other matters, including (in the case of references to the Commission) disputes as to determinations by the Director, as are specified in the appointment or are of a description so specified.

(3) Conditions included in an appointment under this Chapter may contain provision for the conditions to cease to have effect or be modified at such times, in such manner and in such circumstances as may be specified in or determined by or under the conditions; and any provision included by virtue of this subsection in an appointment under this Chapter shall have effect in addition to the provision made by this Chapter with respect to the modification of the conditions of an appointment.

(4) Subsection (5) below applies in relation to the appointment of any company under this Chapter in pursuance of section 11(4)(a) above where provision is contained in that appointment by virtue of subsection (2) or (3) above for postponing the determination of, or of any of the terms of, the conditions of the appointment with respect to the fixing by the company of--

(a) charges in respect of any services provided by that company in the course of the carrying out of the functions of a water undertaker; or

(b) amounts of any other description which such an undertaker is authorised by or under any enactment to require any person to pay,

until a time after the transfer date and before the end of the financial year current on that date.

(5) Where this subsection applies in relation to a company's appointment, the conditions or terms mentioned in subsection (4) above shall not be determined in accordance with the provision so mentioned unless--

(a) notice of the proposed determination has been served on the company;

(b) the company has been allowed a period of at least twenty-eight days from the date of service of the notice for making representations or objections with respect to the proposed determination; and

(c) the Secretary of State has considered any such representations or objections which have been duly made and are not withdrawn.

(6) Where any question or other matter falls to be determined by the Monopolies Commission in pursuance of a provision contained in an appointment under this Chapter--

(a) it shall be the duty of the Director, on being required to do so by the company holding that appointment, to refer that question or matter to that Commission; and

(b) it shall be the duty of that Commission to determine any question or other matter referred by virtue of paragraph (a) above in accordance with any regulations under subsection (7) below and with the principles which apply, by virtue of Part I of this Act, in relation to determinations under this Chapter by the Director.

(7) The Secretary of State may by regulations make such provision as he considers appropriate for regulating the procedure to be followed with respect to the reference of any question or other matter to the Monopolies Commission in pursuance of provision contained in an appointment under this Chapter; and, without prejudice to the generality of that power, any such regulations may, in relation to any such reference, apply (with or without modifications) the provisions of any enactment relating to references to that Commission under the following provisions of this Act, the [1973 c. 41.] Fair Trading Act 1973 or the [1980 c. 21.] Competition Act 1980.

(8) For the purposes of this Act where the same instrument contains an appointment of the same company to be both a water undertaker and a sewerage undertaker (whether or not for the same area), all the conditions included in that instrument by virtue of this section shall have effect, irrespective of their subject-matter, as conditions of both appointments.

(9) Where an instrument of appointment has been served under subsection (3) of section 11 above on any company, the coming into force of the appointment for the purposes specified in subsection (2) of that section shall not be affected by any contravention of the requirements of this Act with respect to the provision contained by way of conditions of appointment in that instrument; and if the Secretary of State considers it appropriate to do so in consequence of any legal proceedings with respect to any such provision, he may by order made by statutory instrument direct that such conditions as may be specified in the order are to be treated as included in the appointment in question until there is an opportunity for the provision to which the proceedings relate to be replaced by virtue of any of the other provisions of this Chapter.

(10) Any sums received by the Secretary of State in consequence of the provisions of any condition of an appointment under this Chapter shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.



Modification of appointment conditions

15 Modification by agreement

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, the Director may modify the conditions of a company's appointment under this Chapter if the company consents to the modifications.

(2) Before making modifications under this section, the Director shall give notice--

(a) stating that he proposes to make the modifications and setting out their effect;

(b) stating the reasons why he proposes to make the modifications; and

(c) specifying the period (not being less than twenty-eight days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed modifications may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(3) A notice under subsection (2) above shall be given--

(a) by publishing the notice in such manner as the Director considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the notice to the attention of persons likely to be affected by the making of the modifications; and

(b) by serving a copy of the notice on the company and on the Secretary of State.

(4) The Director shall not under this section make any modifications which the Secretary of State has, within the time specified in the notice under subsection (2) above, directed the Director not to make.

(5) The Secretary of State shall not give a direction under subsection (4) above in relation to any modification unless--

(a) the modification is a modification of provision contained in the appointment for the purposes of section 12(2)(c) above;

(b) the modification is a modification of a provision of the appointment which relates to the disposal of, or of interests or rights in or over, a company's protected land and is stated in the appointment to be a provision which cannot be modified; or

(c) it appears to the Secretary of State that the modification should be made, if at all, under section 18 below.

16 Modification references to Monopolies Commission

(1) The Director may make to the Monopolies Commission a reference which is so framed as to require the Commission to investigate and report on the questions--

(a) whether any matters which--

(i) relate to the carrying out of any function which is a function of any company by virtue of an appointment of that company under this Chapter; and

(ii) are specified in the reference,

operate, or may be expected to operate, against the public interest; and

(b) if so, whether the effects adverse to the public interest which those matters have or may be expected to have could be remedied or prevented by modifications of the conditions of the company's appointment.

(2) The Director may, at any time, by notice given to the Monopolies Commission vary a reference under this section by adding to the matters specified in the reference or by excluding from the reference some or all of the matters so specified; and on receipt of any such notice the Commission shall give effect to the variation.

(3) The Director may specify in a reference under this section, or a variation of such a reference, for the purpose of assisting the Monopolies Commission in carrying out the investigation on the reference--

(a) any effects adverse to the public interest which, in his opinion, the matters specified in the reference or variation have or may be expected to have; and

(b) any modifications of the conditions of any appointment mentioned in the reference or variation by which, in his opinion, those effects could be remedied or prevented.

(4) As soon as practicable after making a reference under this section or a variation of such a reference, the Director shall--

(a) serve a copy of the reference or variation on the company whose appointment is mentioned in the reference or variation; and

(b) publish particulars of the reference or variation in such manner as he considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the reference or variation to the attention of persons likely to be affected by it.

(5) It shall be the duty of the Director, for the purpose of assisting the Monopolies Commission in carrying out an investigation on a reference under this section, to give to the Commission--

(a) any information in his possession which relates to matters falling within the scope of the investigation, and which is either--

(i) requested by the Commission for that purpose; or

(ii) information which, in his opinion, it would be appropriate for that purpose to give to the Commission without any such request;

and

(b) any other assistance which the Commission may require, and which it is within his power to give, in relation to any such matters;

and the Commission, for the purpose of carrying out any such investigation, shall take account of any information given to them for that purpose under this subsection.

(6) In determining for the purposes of this section whether any particular matter operates, or may be expected to operate, against the public interest, the Monopolies Commission shall have regard to the matters as respects which duties are imposed on the Secretary of State and the Director by Part I of this Act.

(7) Sections 70 (time limit for report on merger reference), 81 (procedure in carrying out investigations) and 85 (attendance of witnesses and production of documents) of the [1973 c. 41.] Fair Trading Act 1973, Part II of Schedule 3 to that Act (performance of functions of the Monopolies Commission) and section 24 of the [1980 c. 21.] Competition Act 1980 (modifications of provisions about performance of such functions) shall apply in relation to references under this section as if--

(a) the functions of the Commission in relation to those references were functions under the said Act of 1973;

(b) the expression "merger reference" included a reference under this section;

(c) in the said section 70, references to the Secretary of State were references to the Director and the reference to three months were a reference to six months;

(d) in paragraph 11 of the said Schedule 3, the reference to section 71 of the said Act of 1973 were a reference to subsection (2) above; and

(e) paragraph 16(2) of that Schedule were omitted.

(8) For the purposes of references under this section the Secretary of State shall appoint not less than eight additional members of the Monopolies Commission; and, if any functions of that Commission in relation to any such reference are performed through a group--

(a) the chairman of that Commission shall select one or more of those additional members to be members of the group; and

(b) the number of regular members to be selected by him under paragraph 10 of Schedule 3 to the Fair Trading Act 1973 shall be reduced by the number of additional members selected.

17 Reports on modification references

(1) In making a report on a reference under section 16 above, the Monopolies Commission--

(a) shall include in the report definite conclusions on the questions comprised in the reference together with such an account of their reasons for those conclusions as, in their opinion, is expedient for facilitating a proper understanding of those questions and of their conclusions;

(b) where they conclude that any of the matters specified in the reference operate, or may be expected to operate, against the public interest, shall specify in the report the effects adverse to the public interest which those matters have or may be expected to have; and

(c) where they conclude that any adverse effects so specified could be remedied or prevented by modifications of the conditions of a company's appointment under this Chapter, shall specify in the report modifications by which those effects could be remedied or prevented.

(2) Where, on a reference under section 16 above, the Monopolies Commission conclude that a company holding an appointment under this Chapter is a party to an agreement to which the [1976 c. 34.] Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976 applies, the Commission, in making their report on that reference, shall exclude from their consideration the question whether the provisions of that agreement, in so far as they are provisions by virtue of which it is an agreement to which that Act applies, operate, or may be expected to operate, against the public interest; and paragraph (b) of subsection (1) above shall have effect subject to the provisions of this subsection.

(3) Section 82 of the [1973 c. 41.] Fair Trading Act 1973 (general provisions as to reports) shall apply in relation to reports of the Monopolies Commission on references under section 16 above as it applies to reports of the Commission under that Act.

(4) A report of the Monopolies Commission on a reference under section 16 above shall be made to the Director.

(5) Subject to subsection (6) below, the Director--

(a) shall, on receiving such a report, send a copy of it to the company to whose appointment under this Chapter the report relates and to the Secretary of State; and

(b) shall, not less than fourteen days after that copy is received by the Secretary of State, publish another copy of that report in such manner as he considers appropriate for bringing the report to the attention of persons likely to be affected by it.

(6) If it appears to the Secretary of State that the publication of any matter in such a report would be against the public interest or the commercial interests of any person, he may, before the end of the period of fourteen days mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (5) above, direct the Director to exclude that matter from every copy of the report to be published by virtue of that paragraph; and the Director shall comply with any such direction.

18 Modification following report

(1) Where a report of the Monopolies Commission on a reference under section 16 above--

(a) includes conclusions to the effect that any of the matters specified in the reference operate, or may be expected to operate, against the public interest;

(b) specifies effects adverse to the public interest which those matters have or may be expected to have;

(c) includes conclusions to the effect that those effects could be remedied or prevented by modifications of the conditions of a company's appointment under this Chapter; and

(d) specifies modifications by which those effects could be remedied or prevented,

the Director shall, subject to the following provisions of this section, make such modifications of the conditions of that appointment as appear to him requisite for the purpose of remedying or preventing the adverse effects specified in the report.

(2) Before making modifications under this section, the Director shall have regard to the modifications specified in the report.

(3) Before making modifications under this section, the Director shall give notice--

(a) stating that he proposes to make the modifications and setting out their effect;

(b) stating the reasons why he proposes to make the modifications; and

(c) specifying the period (not being less than twenty-eight days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed modifications may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(4) A notice under subsection (3) above shall be given--

(a) by publishing the notice in such manner as the Director considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by the making of the modifications; and

(b) by serving a copy of the notice on the company whose appointment it is proposed to modify.

(5) The Director shall not under this section make any modification of any provisions of a company's appointment under this Chapter which--

(a) are contained in that appointment for the purposes of section 12(2)(c) above; or

(b) being provisions relating to the disposal of, or of interests or rights in or over, a company's protected land, are stated in the appointment to be provisions which cannot be modified.

19 Modification by order under other enactments

(1) Subject to subsection (3) below, where in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2) below the Secretary of State by order exercises any of the powers specified in Parts I and II of Schedule 8 to the [1973 c. 41.] Fair Trading Act 1973 or section 10(2)(a) of the [1980 c. 21.] Competition Act 1980, the order may also provide for the modification of the conditions of a company's appointment under this Chapter to such extent as may appear to him to be requisite or expedient for the purpose of giving effect to or taking account of any provision made by the order.

(2) Subsection (1) above shall have effect where--

(a) the circumstances are as mentioned in section 56(1) of the said Act of 1973 (order on report on monopoly reference) and the monopoly situation exists in relation to the carrying out of any of the functions of a water undertaker or sewerage undertaker;

(b) the circumstances are as mentioned in section 73(1) of that Act (order on report on merger reference) and the two or more enterprises which ceased to be distinct enterprises were both engaged in carrying out functions of a water undertaker or sewerage undertaker; or

(c) the circumstances are as mentioned in section 10(1) of the said Act of 1980 (order on report on competition reference) and the anti-competitive practice relates to the carrying out of any of the functions of a water undertaker or sewerage undertaker.

(3) No modification shall be made by virtue of this section of any provisions of a company's appointment under this Chapter which--

(a) are contained in that appointment for the purposes of section 12(2)(c) above; or

(b) being provisions relating to the disposal of, or of interests or rights in or over, a company's protected land, are stated in the appointment to be provisions which cannot be modified.

(4) In this section expressions which are also used in the said Act of 1973 or the said Act of 1980 have the same meanings as in that Act.



Enforcement orders

20 Orders for securing compliance with certain provisions

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (5) and section 21 below, where in the case of any company holding an appointment under this Chapter the Secretary of State or the Director is satisfied--

(a) that that company is contravening--

(i) any condition of the company's appointment in relation to which he is the enforcement authority; or

(ii) any statutory requirement which is enforceable under this section and in relation to which he is the enforcement authority;

or

(b) that that company has contravened any such condition or requirement and is likely to do so again,

he shall by a final order make such provision as is requisite for the purpose of securing compliance with that condition or requirement.

(2) Subject to subsection (5) below, where in the case of any company holding an appointment under this Chapter--

(a) it appears to the Secretary of State or the Director as mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1) above; and

(b) it appears to him that it is requisite that a provisional order be made,

he may (instead of taking steps towards the making of a final order) by a provisional order make such provision as appears to him requisite for the purpose of securing compliance with the condition or requirement in question.

(3) In determining for the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above whether it is requisite that a provisional order be made, the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, the Director shall have regard, in particular, to the extent to which any person is likely to sustain loss or damage in consequence of anything which, in contravention of any condition or of any statutory requirement enforceable under this section, is likely to be done, or omitted to be done, before a final order may be made.

(4) Subject to subsection (5) and section 21 below, where the Secretary of State or the Director has made a provisional order, he shall confirm it, with or without modifications, if--

(a) he is satisfied that the company to which the order relates--

(i) is contravening any condition or statutory requirement in relation to which he is the enforcement authority; or

(ii) has contravened any such condition or requirement and is likely to do so again;

and

(b) the provision made by the order (with any modifications) is requisite for the purpose of securing compliance with that condition or requirement.

(5) Neither the Secretary of State nor the Director shall be required to make a final order or provisional order in relation to any company or to confirm a provisional order so made if he is satisfied--

(a) that the contraventions were, or the apprehended contraventions are, of a trivial nature;

(b) that the company has given, and is complying with, an undertaking to take all such steps as it appears to him for the time being to be appropriate for the company to take for the purpose of securing or facilitating compliance with the condition or requirement in question; or

(c) that the duties imposed on him by Part I of this Act preclude the making or, as the case may be, the confirmation of the order.

(6) Where the Secretary of State or the Director, having notified a company that he is considering the making in relation to the company of a final order or provisional order or the confirmation of a provisional order so made, is satisfied as mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (5) above, he shall--

(a) serve notice that he is so satisfied on the company;

(b) publish a copy of the notice in such manner as he considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by them; and

(c) in a case where the Secretary of State is satisfied as mentioned in the said paragraph (b), serve a copy of the notice and of the undertaking given for the purposes of that paragraph on the Director;

but the requirements of the preceding provisions of this subsection shall not apply, in the case of any proposed order or confirmation in respect of a direction under section 170 below, to the extent that the Secretary of State directs that they should not be complied with in the interests of national security.

(7) A final or provisional order--

(a) shall require the company to which it relates (according to the circumstances of the case) to do, or not to do, such things as are specified in the order or are of a description so specified;

(b) shall take effect at such time, being the earliest practicable time, as is determined by or under the order; and

(c) may be revoked at any time by the enforcement authority who made it.

(8) For the purposes of this section and the following provisions of this Act--

(a) the statutory requirements which shall be enforceable under this section in relation to a company holding an appointment under this Chapter shall be--

(i) such of the requirements of section 8 or 9 above as are imposed on that company in consequence of that appointment; and

(ii) such of the requirements of any other enactment or of any subordinate legislation as are so imposed and are made so enforceable by that enactment or subordinate legislation;

(b) the Director shall be the enforcement authority in relation to the conditions of an appointment under this Chapter;

(c) the Secretary of State shall be the enforcement authority in relation to the requirements imposed by sections 8 and 9 above; and

(d) the enforcement authority in relation to each of the other statutory requirements enforceable under this section shall be the Secretary of State, the Director or either of them, according to whatever provision is made by the enactment or subordinate legislation by which the requirement is made so enforceable;

and the requirement to comply with an undertaking given for the purposes of subsection (5)(b) above shall be treated as a statutory requirement enforceable under this section by the Secretary of State or, with the consent of or in accordance with a general authorisation given by the Secretary of State, by the Director.

(9) In this section and sections 21 and 22 below--

  • "final order" means an order under this section other than a provisional order;

  • "provisional order" means an order under this section which, if not previously confirmed in accordance with subsection (4) above, will cease to have effect at the end of such period (not exceeding three months) as is determined by or under the order.

(10) Where any act or omission constitutes a contravention of a condition of an appointment under this Chapter or of a statutory requirement enforceable under this section, the only remedies for that contravention, apart from those available by virtue of this section, shall be those for which express provision is made by or under any enactment and those that are available in respect of that act or omission otherwise than by virtue of its constituting such a contravention.

21 Procedural requirements

(1) Before making a final order or confirming a provisional order, the Secretary of State or the Director shall give notice--

(a) stating that he proposes to make or confirm the order and setting out the effect of the order;

(b) setting out--

(i) the condition or requirement for the purpose of securing compliance with which the order is to be made or confirmed;

(ii) the acts or omissions which, in his opinion, constitute or would constitute contraventions of that condition or requirement; and

(iii) the other facts which, in his opinion, justify the making or confirmation of the order;

and

(c) specifying the period (not being less than twenty-eight days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed order or proposed confirmation may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(2) A notice under subsection (1) above shall be given--

(a) by publishing the notice in such manner as the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, the Director considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by them; and

(b) by serving a copy of the notice, and a copy of the proposed order or of the order proposed to be confirmed, on the company to which the order relates and, where the notice is given by the Secretary of State, on the Director.

(3) Neither the Secretary of State nor the Director shall make a final order with modifications, or confirm a provisional order with modifications, except--

(a) with the consent to the modifications of the company to which the order relates; or

(b) after complying with the requirements of subsection (4) below.

(4) The requirements mentioned in subsection (3) above are that the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, the Director shall--

(a) serve on the company to which the order relates such notice as appears to him to be requisite of his proposal to make or confirm the order with modifications;

(b) in that notice specify the period (not being less than twenty-eight days from the date of the service of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed modifications may be made; and

(c) consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(5) As soon as practicable after making a final order or making or confirming a provisional order, the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, the Director shall--

(a) serve a copy of the order on the company to which the order relates and, where this subsection applies in the case of an order made or confirmed by Secretary of State, on the Director; and

(b) publish such a copy in such manner as he considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the order to the attention of persons likely to be affected by it.

(6) Before revoking a final order or a provisional order which has been confirmed, the Secretary of State or the Director shall give notice--

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