(1)The Secretary of State must maintain a register containing prescribed information relating to licences.
(2)Information is not to be included in the register if—
(a)the Secretary of State thinks that disclosure of the information would be contrary to the interests of national security, or
(b)the licensing authority thinks that disclosure of the information would prejudice to an unreasonable degree a person's commercial interests.
(3)Information excluded from the register by virtue of subsection (2)(b) is treated, subject to subsection (4), as ceasing to prejudice a person's commercial interests at the end of the period of 4 years beginning with the date on which the licensing authority made the decision to exclude it.
(4)The licensing authority may, on the application of the person whose commercial interests are affected, decide whether the information should be included in the register at the end of the period mentioned in subsection (3) or should continue to be excluded.
(5)Where information of any description is excluded from the register by virtue of subsection (2)(b), a statement is to be included in the register indicating the existence of information of that description.
(6)The Secretary of State must—
(a)secure that the register maintained under this section is available for inspection by the public free of charge, and
(b)afford to members of the public facilities for obtaining copies of entries, on payment of a fee.
(7)In this section “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State.
[F1(8)The OGA must provide to the Secretary of State any information held by it that is required by the Secretary of State in order to comply with the requirements imposed by this section.]
Textual Amendments
F1S. 29(8) inserted (1.10.2016) by Energy Act 2016 (c. 20), s. 84(3), Sch. 1 para. 59; S.I. 2016/920, reg. 2(a)
Commencement Information
I1S. 29 in force at 6.4.2009 by S.I. 2009/45, art. 4(a)(ii)