372Payment of costs of the Welsh Ministers(1)

This section applies to the following proceedings—

(a)

proceedings on an application, appeal or reference made to the Welsh Ministers under or by virtue of this Act (whether it is considered at a local inquiry, at a hearing or on the basis of representations in writing);

(b)

any other local inquiry or hearing held or to be held by or on behalf of the Welsh Ministers under or by virtue of any provision of this Act.

(2)

The Welsh Ministers may give a direction requiring the applicant or appellant, or a planning authority or other party to the proceedings, to pay the costs incurred by the Welsh Ministers in relation to the proceedings (or so much of those costs as the Welsh Ministers may direct).

(3)

The costs incurred by the Welsh Ministers in relation to any proceedings include—

(a)

the entire administrative cost incurred by the Welsh Ministers in connection with the proceedings, including in particular a reasonable amount that they determine in respect of general staff costs and overheads of the Welsh Government;

(b)

costs in respect of an inquiry or hearing that does not take place.

(4)

Regulations may specify a standard daily amount for proceedings of a specified description.

(5)

Where proceedings of a specified description take place, the costs incurred by the Welsh Ministers are to be taken to be—

(a)

the standard daily amount for each day (or an appropriate proportion of that amount for a part of a day) on which a specified person is engaged in dealing with the case;

(b)

costs actually incurred in connection with dealing with the case on—

(i)

travelling or subsistence allowances, or

(ii)

the provision of accommodation or other facilities;

(c)

any costs attributable to the appointment of specified persons to assist in dealing with the case;

(d)

any legal costs or disbursements incurred or made by or on behalf of the Welsh Ministers in connection with the case.

(6)

In this section “specified” means specified in regulations.

(7)

This section does not apply to proceedings under CIL regulations (and does not limit the provision that CIL regulations may make about the costs of proceedings under them).