Marine (Scotland) Act 2010

28 Inquiries

(1) The Scottish Ministers may cause an inquiry to be held in connection with their determination of an application for a marine licence.

(2) Subsections (2) to (8) of section 210 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c.65) apply to any inquiry the Scottish Ministers may cause to be held under subsection (1) as they apply to inquiries under that section.

(3) Where—

(a) an inquiry is caused by the Scottish Ministers to be held under subsection (1), and

(b) in the case of some other matter required or authorised to be the subject of an inquiry (“the other inquiry”), it appears to the relevant authority or authorities that the matters are so far cognate that they should be considered together,

the relevant authority or authorities may direct that the two inquiries be held concurrently or combined as one inquiry.

(4) In subsection (3), “the relevant authority or authorities” means the Scottish Ministers or, where causing the other inquiry to be held is the function of some other person or body, the Scottish Ministers and that other person or body acting jointly.