77Validation of fees charged
(1)A fee charged by the Secretary of State at any time before the date on which this Act is passed (“the relevant time”) is taken to have been lawfully charged if the condition in subsection (2) is met.
(2)The condition is that the fee was charged in connection with carrying out functions under any of the provisions listed in subsection (3), as the provision in question had effect at the relevant time.
(3)The provisions are—
(a)Part 4A of the Energy Act 2008 (works detrimental to navigation: oil, gas, carbon dioxide and pipelines);
(b)Part 4 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (marine licences), so far as relating to oil and gas activities for which a marine licence under that Part is needed;
(c)the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/1056);
(d)the Offshore Petroleum Production and Pipe-lines (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/360);
(e)the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/1754).
(4)“Oil and gas activities” are activities which relate to operations regulated under any of the provisions listed in subsection (5).
(5)The provisions are—
(a)section 2 of the Petroleum (Production) Act 1934 (searching and boring for, and getting, petroleum);
(b)Part 1 of the Petroleum Act 1998 (searching and boring for, and getting, petroleum);
(c)Part 3 of the Petroleum Act 1998 (submarine pipelines);
(d)Part 4 of the Petroleum Act 1998 (abandonment of offshore installations);
(e)Part 1 of the Energy Act 2008 (gas importation and storage);
(f)Part 4 of the Energy Act 2008 (oil and gas).
(6)See Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 for when a marine licence under that Part is needed for activities.