This regulation applies where the Scottish Ministers are dealing with an EIA application.

In order to ensure the completeness and quality of the EIA report, F2... the Scottish Ministers must (having regard in particular to current knowledge and methods of assessment) seek from the applicant supplementary information about any matter to be included in the EIA report in accordance with regulation 6(3) which in the opinion of F2... the Scottish Ministers, is directly relevant to reaching a reasoned conclusion on the significant effects of the forestry project on the environment (and such information is referred to in these Regulations as “supplementary information”).

The applicant must provide supplementary information within such reasonable period as the Scottish Ministers may specify and if the applicant does not provide the supplementary information within such a period the Scottish Ministers may treat the EIA application as withdrawn.

The F4... Scottish Ministers may, in writing, require evidence to be produced to them to verify information contained in an EIA report or in any additional information which has been provided to them.