Charging
14.—(1) The Department may by order authorise the Board to charge a person of a description specified in the order for any action so specified taken by the Board.
(2) An order under paragraph (1) may authorise charging for extinguishing fires, or protecting life and property in the event of fires, only in respect of fires which are–
(a)outside Northern Ireland; or
(b)at sea.
(3) The power in paragraph (1) includes power to authorise a charge to be imposed on, or recovered from, a person other than the person in respect of whom action is taken by the Board.
(4) The power in paragraph (1) includes power to specify that, in setting the amount of a charge, the Board shall secure that, taking one financial year with another, the Board’s income from charges does not exceed the cost to the Board of taking the action for which the charges are imposed.
(5) If the Board is authorised by an order under paragraph (1) to charge for taking action of a particular description and the Board decides to do so, then subject to paragraph (4)–
(a)the amount of the charge is to be set by the Board; and
(b)the Board may charge different amounts in different circumstances (and may charge nothing).
(6) Before making an order under this Article the Department shall consult the Board and any other persons it considers appropriate.