Part 2Vetting and disclosure

Fees, forms and other procedures

70Fees

(1)

Ministers may charge such fee as may be prescribed—

(a)

in respect of applications to join, or to be removed from, the Scheme F1or to renew membership of the Scheme,

(b)

in respect of F2disclosure requests F2requests for confirmations of scheme membership under section 54, and

(c)

otherwise in respect of the performance of their functions under this Part.

(2)

Regulations may, in particular, provide for—

(a)

different fees in different circumstances,

(b)

annual or other recurring fees in respect of participation in the Scheme,

(c)

reduction, waiver or refund of fees in prescribed circumstances.

F3(d)

the manner in which fees are to be paid.

(3)

Before prescribing fees under this section, Ministers must have regard to—

(a)

the circumstances in which those fees are payable, and

(b)

the desirability of maintaining an appropriate balance among—

(i)

the quality of the performance of their vetting, barring and disclosure functions,

(ii)

the cost of that performance, and

(iii)

the fees paid to them in respect of that performance.

(4)

Where regulations provide for a fee to be charged in respect of—

(a)

an application to join, or to be removed from, the Scheme F4or to renew membership of the Scheme,, or

(b)

a F5disclosure request F5request for confirmation of scheme membership under section 54,

Ministers need not consider the application or request unless the fee is paid F6in the manner provided for in the regulations.