14.—(1) The Department may by notice require any person listed in paragraph (2) to provide the Department with specified information for the purpose of enabling the Department to decide—
(a)whether to exercise any function conferred on the Department by regulation 7, 11, 12 or 13; and
(b)if so, how to exercise that function.
(2) The persons are—
(a)a person who proposes to make, or has made, an application for the grant of planning permission for the construction of a relevant pipe-line or, in the case of an offshore relevant pipe-line, the grant of a Crown lease;
(b)a person who has made or received an access application.
(3) Where a person has applied to the Department under regulation 13(3) for an access notice to be varied, the Department may by notice require any person listed in paragraph (4) to provide the Department with specified information for the purpose of enabling the Department to decide—
(a)whether to vary the notice; and
(b)if so, how to vary the notice.
(4) The persons are—
(a)the person who applied for the notice to be varied;
(b)any other person on whom the notice was served;
(c)any person to whom there has been assigned a right which is secured by the notice.
(5) The information which may be required by the Department under paragraph (1) or (3) includes financial information.
(6) The Department shall not disclose to any person any information provided under paragraph (1) or (3) unless—
(a)the person who provided the information consents to the disclosure; or
(b)the disclosure is required by virtue of an obligation imposed by law.
(7) In this regulation “specified” means specified in a notice under paragraph (1) or (3).