Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Inquiries to be held in public subject to certain exceptions

232.—(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (4), at any public local inquiry or independent examination held under this Act oral evidence shall be heard in public and documentary evidence shall be open to public inspection.

(2) If the Secretary of State is satisfied in the case of any public local inquiry or independent examination—

(a) that giving evidence of a particular description or, as the case may be, making it available for inspection would be likely to result in the disclosure of information as to any of the matters mentioned in subsection (3); and

(b) that the public disclosure of that information would be contrary to the national interest,

the Secretary of State may direct that evidence of the description indicated in the direction shall only be heard or, as the case may be, open to inspection at that inquiry or examination by such persons or persons of such descriptions as may be specified in the direction.

(3) The matters referred to in subsection (2)(a) are—

(a) national security;

(b) the measures taken or to be taken to ensure the security of any premises or property belonging to Her Majesty in right of the Crown or belonging to a department of the government of the United Kingdom or held in trust for Her Majesty for the purposes of such a department;

(c) the measures taken or to be taken to ensure the security of any premises or property which is used for the purposes of the armed forces of the Crown or the Ministry of Defence Police.

(4) If the Department of Justice is satisfied in the case of any public local inquiry or independent examination—

(a) that giving evidence of a particular description or, as the case may be, making it available for inspection would be likely to result in the disclosure of information as to any of the matters mentioned in subsection (5); and

(b) that the public disclosure of that information would be contrary to the public interest,

the Department of Justice may direct that evidence of the description indicated in the direction shall only be heard or, as the case may be, open to inspection at that inquiry or examination by such persons or persons of such descriptions as may be specified in the direction.

(5) The matters referred to in subsection (4)(a) are the measures taken or to be taken to ensure the security of any premises or property (other than premises or property mentioned in subsection (3)(b) or (c)) except where those matters are matters of national security.