The Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Directions for preserving security of gas supplies, etc.

40.—(1) The Department may, after consultation with an authorised person, give to that person such directions of a general character as appear to the Department to be requisite or expedient for the purpose of—

(a) preserving the security of buildings used for, or for purposes connected with, the conveyance, storage or supply of gas, or of gas plant; or

(b) mitigating the effects of any civil emergency which may occur.

(2) If it appears to the Department to be requisite or expedient to do so for any such purpose as is mentioned in paragraph (1), the Department may, after consultation with an authorised person, give to that person a direction requiring him (according to the circumstances of the case) to do, or not to do, a particular thing specified in the direction.

(3) An authorised person shall give effect to any direction given to him by the Department under this Article notwithstanding any other duty imposed on him by or under this Order.

(4) A copy of every direction given under this Article shall be laid before the Assembly unless the Department is of the opinion that disclosure of the direction is against the interests of national security or the commercial interests of any person.

(5) A person shall not disclose, or be required under any statutory provision or otherwise to disclose, anything done by virtue of this Article if the Department has notified him that the Department is of the opinion that disclosure of that thing is against the interests of national security or the commercial interests of some other person.

(6) In this Article—

“authorised person” means the holder of a licence or exemption;

“civil emergency” means any natural disaster or other emergency which, in the opinion of the Department, is or may be likely to disrupt gas supplies.