(1)If any person is aggrieved by any decision of the Secretary of State under section 20 or 21 and wishes to question the validity of that decision on the grounds—
(a)that it is not within the powers of this Act; or
(b)that any of the relevant requirements have not been complied with in relation to that decision,
he may within six weeks from the date on which the decision is taken make an application to the High Court under this section.
(2)Without prejudice to subsection (1), if the hazardous substances authority who made the decision on the application to which the proceedings relate or, as the case may be, referred the application wish to question the validity of any such decision as is mentioned in that subsection on any of the grounds there mentioned, the authority may within six weeks from the date on which the decision is taken make an application to the High Court under this section.
(3)On any application under this section the High Court—
(a)may by interim order suspend the operation of the decision the validity of which is questioned by the application until the final determination of the proceedings;
(b)if satisfied that the decision in question is not within the powers of this Act, or that the interests of the applicant have been substantially prejudiced by a failure to comply with any of the relevant requirements in relation to it, may quash that decision.
(4)In this section “the relevant requirements”, in relation to any decision, means any requirements of this Act or the [1971 c. 62.] 1971 Act or of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1971, or of any order, regulations or rules made under this Act or under either of those Acts which are applicable to that decision.
(5)Except as provided by this section, the validity of any such decision as is mentioned in subsection (1) shall not be questioned in any legal proceedings whatsoever.
(6)Nothing in subsection (5) shall affect the exercise of any jurisdiction of any court in respect of any refusal or failure on the part of the Secretary of State to take any such decision as is there mentioned.