Conversion of existing gas conveyance licences
31.—(1) In this Article—
(a)references to an existing conveyance licence are to a licence under Article 8(1)(a) of the Gas Order which is in force immediately before the commencement date; and
(b)references to the commencement date are to the date on which Article 30 comes into operation.
(2) An existing conveyance licence shall have effect on and after the commencement date—
(a)as a licence under Article 8(1)(a) of the Gas Order (as amended by Article 30) authorising the holder to participate in the conveyance of gas in the area which for the purposes of his existing conveyance licence was his authorised area; and
(b)with such incidental, consequential and supplementary modifications as appear to the Department to be necessary or expedient.
(3) Modifications under paragraph (2)(b) may relate to—
(a)the terms of a licence, or
(b)the conditions of a licence.
(4) The Department may make such incidental, consequential and supplementary modifications as appear to the Department to be necessary or expedient to the standard conditions of licences under Article 8(1)(a) of the Gas Order.
(5) As soon as practicable after the commencement date, the Department shall publish—
(a)the text of each licence modified under this Article; and
(b)if the standard conditions of licences under Article 8(1)(a) have been modified under paragraph (4), the text of those conditions as modified.
(6) Before modifying any licence under paragraph (2)(b), the Department shall consult—
(a)the Authority; and
(b)the holder of the licence,
in such manner as it considers appropriate.
(7) Paragraph (6) may be satisfied by consultation before, as well as by consultation after, the commencement date.
(8) Any modification of part of a standard condition of a licence under this Article shall not prevent any other part of the condition from continuing to be regarded as a standard condition for the purposes of Part II of the Gas Order.
(9) Where at any time the Department modifies under this Article the standard conditions of licences under Article 8(1)(a) of the Gas Order, it shall also make (as nearly as may be) the same modifications of those conditions for the purposes of their incorporation in licences of that type granted after that time.