56.This section gives the licensing authority the power to make regulations (subject to negative resolution procedure – see section 105) prescribing the conditions that the applicant may be required to meet in order to obtain a licence, as well as any other requirements that must be satisfied prior to the licence being granted. In particular, the regulations may set out:
who can apply for a licence;
how the application for a licence must be made;
the information which an application must contain and any accompanying documents;
an application fee; and
a requirement for the applicant to provide financial security (such as a letter of credit, a fund held on trust, or another form of security) in respect of any obligations arising in connection with the licensed activities.
The obligations in relation to which financial security may be required are not restricted to those laid down by the licence, and may take into account, for example, any liabilities that may arise in connection with a carbon dioxide store (such as any liability that may arise under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme). While such security may not be needed in every case, the intention of requiring such a security would be to protect the public purse against the risk of the licensee failing to meet its obligations arising from its activities under the licence. Where a financial guarantee is required, then it will be required as a condition of the licence being granted, and not as a condition of making an application.