F13Contracts granted by the Authority

(1)

Neither the Secretary of State nor the Scottish Ministers may grant an exploration or exploitation licence which relates to—

(a)

any area of the deep sea bed in respect of which a contract granted by the Authority is in force, and

(b)

any description of mineral resources to which the contract relates.

(2)

Subsection (1) does not apply where the contract is a corresponding contract in relation to a licence previously granted by the Secretary of State or the Scottish Ministers.

(3)

For the purposes of any proceedings a contract granted by the Authority may be proved by the production of a copy of the contract certified to be a true copy by an official of the Authority; and any document purporting to be such a copy is to be received in evidence and is to be deemed to be such a contract unless the contrary is proved.