(1)Where the Secretary of State has approved a programme submitted to him under section 29—
(a)either he or the persons who submitted it acting together may propose an alteration to the programme or to any condition to which it is subject; and
(b)either he or any of those persons may propose that any person who by virtue of section 36 has a duty to secure that the programme is carried out shall cease to have that duty, or that a person who does not already have that duty shall have it (either in addition to or in substitution for another person).
(2)In the case of a proposal of the kind mentioned in subsection (1)(b), any person who would if the proposed change were made have a duty to secure that the programme is carried out must be a person who—
(a)if the programme relates to an offshore installation, is within paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) of section 30(1) when the proposal is made, or has been within one of those paragraphs at some time since the giving of the first notice under section 29(1) in relation to the installation; and
(b)if the programme relates to a submarine pipeline, is within paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of section 30(2) when the proposal is made, or has been within one of those paragraphs at some time since the giving of the first notice under section 29(1) in relation to the pipeline.
(3)The Secretary of State shall not propose that a person who is or has been within paragraph (d) or (e) (but no other paragraph) of section 30(1) or paragraph (b) or (c) (but not paragraph (a)) of section 30(2) shall have a duty to secure that a programme is carried out unless it appears to the Secretary of State that a person already under that duty has failed or may fail to discharge it.
(4)A proposal under subsection (1) shall be made by written notice given—
(a)if the proposal is the Secretary of State's, to each of the persons by whom the programme was submitted; and
(b)in any other case, to the Secretary of State;
and a person giving notice to the Secretary of State shall at the same time pay to him such fee in respect of his expenditure under this Part of this Act as may be determined in accordance with regulations under section 39.
(5)Where the Secretary of State has made a proposal under subsection (1)(a), he shall give an opportunity to make written representations about it to each of the persons who submitted the programme.
(6)Where a proposal has been made under subsection (1)(b), the Secretary of State shall give an opportunity to make written representations about it to every person (other than one who made the proposal) who will if the proposed change is made—
(a)have a duty to secure that the programme is carried out; or
(b)cease to have that duty.
(7)The Secretary of State shall determine whether a change proposed under subsection (1) is to be made and shall then give notice of his determination, and of his reasons for it, to—
(a)every person who, before the determination was made, had a duty to secure the carrying out of the programme; and
(b)any person who has that duty as a result of the determination.
(8)Where the Secretary of State determines that a change proposed in accordance with this section shall be made, this Part of this Act shall thereafter have effect as if the programme had been approved by the Secretary of State after being submitted under section 29 with the alterations, or as the case may be by the persons, specified in the determination.