Deep Sea Mining Act 2014

4 For section 3 substitute—

“3 Contracts granted by the Authority

(1) Neither the Secretary of State nor the Scottish Ministers may grant an exploration or exploitation licence which relates to—

(a) any area of the deep sea bed in respect of which a contract granted by the Authority is in force, and

(b) any description of mineral resources to which the contract relates.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply where the contract is a corresponding contract in relation to a licence previously granted by the Secretary of State or the Scottish Ministers.

(3) For the purposes of any proceedings a contract granted by the Authority may be proved by the production of a copy of the contract certified to be a true copy by an official of the Authority; and any document purporting to be such a copy is to be received in evidence and is to be deemed to be such a contract unless the contrary is proved.

3A Exemptions from prohibition in section 1

(1) A person to whom section 1 applies (“P”) is not prohibited by that section from prospecting for mineral resources in any area of the deep sea bed if P does so in accordance with the terms of a notification of prospecting—

(a) given by P to the Authority under the Convention, and

(b) recorded by the Authority as complying with the requirements of the Convention.

(2) Where a person to whom section 1 applies holds a contract for exploration granted by the Authority or is the agent or employee of the holder of such a contract (acting in that capacity), that person is not prohibited by that section from exploring for any of the description of mineral resources to which the contract relates in any area of the deep sea bed in respect of which the contract is in force.

(3) Where a person to whom section 1 applies holds a contract for exploitation granted by the Authority or is the agent or employee of the holder of such a contract (acting in that capacity), that person is not prohibited by that section from exploiting any of the description of mineral resources to which the contract relates in any area of the deep sea bed in respect of which the contract is in force.”