4.—(1) The Scottish Ministers may from time to time invite applications and where they do so the following provisions of this paragraph apply.
(2) An application must be lodged with the Scottish Ministers on or before the appropriate closing date in order to be considered for approval except where the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that—
(a)the particular circumstances of the applicant render it unreasonable to expect the applicant’s application to have been lodged by the appropriate closing date; and
(b)in those particular circumstances, the date by which the application was lodged is as early as can reasonably be expected.
(3) In this Scheme “the appropriate closing date” means such date as the Scottish Ministers may from time to time determine.
(4) The Scottish Ministers must publish in such manner as they consider appropriate a notice inviting applications and specifying—
(a)the authorised provider;
(b)the appropriate closing date;
(c)other eligibility criteria for the purposes of paragraph 3(1)(c); and
(d)such other matters as they consider it is appropriate for them to have regard to for the purposes of the Scheme.
(5) An application made in pursuance of a notice published under sub-paragraph (4) must—
(a)be in writing and signed by the applicant; and
(b)must—
(i)be made in such form and manner;
(ii)include such information and undertakings; and
(iii)be delivered to such address,
as the Scottish Ministers may specify in the notice or from time to time require.
(6) An applicant must furnish all such further information relating to the application as the Scottish Ministers may specify in the notice or from time to time require.