Contracts granted by the Authority
3
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.
Ss. 3, 3A substituted for s. 3 (14.7.2014) by Deep Sea Mining Act 2014 (c. 15), s. 2(3), Sch. para. 4