Coal industry Act 1994

8 Exploitation rights: territorial waters and continental shelf

(1) Subject to section 9 below, the interests in unworked coal and coal mines which are vested in the Corporation immediately before the restructuring date shall be deemed to include—

(a) the interests and rights of a freehold owner in and in relation to any such coal under the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom as is coal with respect to which the Corporation has rights immediately before that date by virtue of section 1 of the [1964 c. 29.] Continental Shelf Act 1964, as read with section 2(3) of the [1987 c. 49.] Territorial Sea Act 1987; and

(b) the exclusive right, for the purposes of the rights of the United Kingdom mentioned in section 1(1) of that Act of 1964 and without the consent of the Secretary of State, of authorising the carrying on, in relation to the coal in any designated area, of any of the coal-mining operations to which section 25 below applies or of any operation carried on for the purpose of searching or boring for coal.

(2) Section 7(3) above shall not vest in the Authority any interest or rights in or in relation to any coal or coal mines outside Great Britain and the territorial sea adjacent to Great Britain except those mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above.

(3) Where on the coming into force on or after the restructuring date of any Order in Council under section 1 of the [1987 c. 49.] Territorial Sea Act 1987 any area outside the United Kingdom and the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom is brought within that territorial sea, that Order in Council shall have the effect of vesting the interests and rights of a freehold owner in and in relation to coal under the seabed in that area in such person as may be specified in the Order in Council or, if no person is so specified, in the Authority.

(4) Nothing shall be vested in any person by virtue of subsection (3) above which would by virtue of section 9 below have been excluded, had the Order in Council come into force before the restructuring date, from the interests and rights which are deemed to be vested in the Corporation immediately before that date.

(5) In this section “designated area” means any area which is for the time being both outside the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom and comprised in an area designated (whether before or after the beginning of the restructuring date) under section 1(7) of the [1964 c. 29.] Continental Shelf Act 1964.

(6) References in this section to the interests and rights of a freehold owner shall be construed, in relation to any coal the interests or rights in or in relation to which fall to be determined according to the law of Scotland, as references to the interests and rights of a proprietor of the dominium utile.