Permanent and reserve powers for energy conservation and control
2 Reserve power to control by government directions.
(1)
When an Order in Council under section 3 of this Act is in force the Secretary of State may give directions—
(a)
to any person carrying on an undertaking in the course of which he produces any substance mentioned in section 1(1) above, as to the production and use of that substance;
(b)
to any person carrying on an undertaking in the course of which he supplies any such substance, as to the supply by him of that substance; and
(c)
to any person carrying on an undertaking which involves the use of any such substance, as to the use by him of that substance for the purposes of the undertaking.
(2)
Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above—
(a)
a direction under subsection (1)(a) may prohibit or restrict the use of any material for the production of a substance mentioned in section 1(1) and may extend to the disposal of stocks of such a substance or of any such material;
(b)
a direction under subsection (1)(b) may—
(i)
prohibit or restrict the supply (anywhere in the world) of any such substance to specified persons, and
(ii)
require the supply (anywhere in the world) of any such substance to specified persons in accordance with specified requirements, including, in the case of crude liquid petroleum, natural gas or petroleum products, requirements as to price; and
(c)
a direction under subsection (1)(c) may prohibit or restrict the use of any substance mentioned in section 1(1) for specified purposes or during specified periods.
(3)
In this section “specified” means specified by the Secretary of State’s directions.
(4)
This section (except subsection (2)(b)(ii) so far as it relates to requirements as to price) applies in relation to electricity as it applies in relation to the substances mentioned in section 1(1).