7Exploitation rights: general
(1)From the passing of this Act until such date as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint for the purposes of this section (“the restructuring date”), section 36 of the 1946 Act (power of the Corporation, subject to limits contained in subsection (2)(a) and (c), to grant licences by way of exception to its exclusive rights) shall have effect with the omission—
(a)in subsection (2)(a), of the words from “with respect to which” to “150”; and
(b)in subsection (2)(c), of the words from “where” to “250,000 tonnes”.
(2)On the restructuring date the Corporation shall cease to have the exclusive right, under section 1 of the 1946 Act, of searching for, boring for, working and getting coal in Great Britain.
(3)On the restructuring date the Corporation’s interests in unworked coal and coal mines, including its interests in any coal that, notwithstanding having been worked at some time, is so attached to or incorporated in any coal mine or other land as to be, in law, a part of it, shall vest without further assurance in the Authority.
(4)Subsection (3) above shall have effect subject to sections 8 and 9 below and to the powers conferred by virtue of section 12(1) below and, in its application to Scotland, shall have effect with the omission of the words “without further assurance”.
(5)The Secretary of State shall not under this section appoint a date as the restructuring date unless he is satisfied that such schemes have been or are to be made under section 12 below as will ensure that the Authority is entitled or subject, from that date, to all such property, rights and liabilities as it requires for carrying out the functions which become its functions on that date.