13.—(1) Such fees, payable at such times, as may be prescribed shall be charged by the Department in respect of—
(a)applications for permits; and
(b)the issue of permits.
(2) The Department may decline to proceed with—
(a)any application for a permit, or
(b)the issue of any permit,
until any fee in respect of the application or issue (as the case may be) is duly paid.
(3) If, in the case of any application for a permit, any fee in respect of the application or the issue of the permit is not duly paid by the prescribed time—
(a)the application shall be treated as withdrawn at that time, and
(b)any decision made or direction given on the application, and any permit issued or variation effected in pursuance of such a direction, ceases to have effect or terminates at that time.
(4) The Department may, if it considers there to be exceptional circumstances that justify its doing so in any case where subsection (3) has applied, direct that as from the time mentioned in that subsection its effect in that case be disregarded.
(5) Where such a direction is given in respect of a permit, the Department may vary any such condition as it applies in relation to events occurring before the direction comes into force.
(6) Regulations under this section may provide for fees to be remitted or refunded (in whole or part) in prescribed cases.