Water Industry Act 1991

[F1 40C Codes under section 40B: procedure E+W

(1) Before issuing a code under section 40B, the Authority must—

(a) prepare a draft of the proposed code under section 40B;

(b) consult the appropriate agency;

(c) consult such other persons about the proposed code as it considers appropriate.

(2) The Authority must specify the period (“the consultation period”) within which persons may make representations about the proposed code.

(3) Before a code under section 40B prepared by the Authority is issued, the Minister may direct the Authority—

(a) not to issue the code, or

(b) to issue the code with specified modifications.

(4) Subsection (3) is subject to subsections (6) and (7).

(5) In subsection (3) “the Minister” means—

(a) the Secretary of State, so far as a code prepared by the Authority relates to bulk supply agreements to which all parties are—

(i) a water undertaker whose area is wholly or mainly in England, or

(ii) a person who would, if the person's application for an appointment or variation is determined in accordance with the application, be such a water undertaker;

(b) the Welsh Ministers, so far as a code prepared by the Authority relates to bulk supply agreements to which all parties are—

(i) a water undertaker whose area is wholly or mainly in Wales, or

(ii) a person who would, if the person's application for an appointment or variation is determined in accordance with the application, be such a water undertaker;

(c) the Secretary of State and the Welsh Ministers acting jointly, so far as a code prepared by the Authority relates to bulk supply agreements to which—

(i) a person falling within paragraph (a)(i) or (ii) is party, and

(ii) a person falling within paragraph (b)(i) or (ii) is party.

(6) If the power under subsection (3) is exercised to give a direction in respect of such bulk supply agreements as are referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (5), it may not be exercised again in respect of such bulk supply agreements as are referred to in that paragraph.

(7) If the power under subsection (3) to give a direction in respect of such bulk supply agreements as are referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (5) is not exercised on the first occasion on which it may be so exercised, it may not be exercised in respect of such bulk supply agreements as are referred to in that paragraph on a later occasion.

(8) A direction under subsection (3) must be given within the period of 28 days beginning with the day after the end of the consultation period, and a code prepared by the Authority in relation to which a direction may be given may not be issued before that period of 28 days has expired.

(9) In this section “the appropriate agency” means—

(a) the Environment Agency, so far as a proposed code relates to bulk supply agreements to which all parties are persons mentioned in section 40(10)(a)(i) or (ii);

(b) the NRBW, so far as a proposed code relates to bulk supply agreements to which all parties are persons mentioned in section 40(10)(b)(i) or (ii);

(c) both the Environment Agency and the NRBW, in any other case.

(10) This section is subject to section 40D.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 40-40J substituted for s. 40 (6.4.2015 for the insertion of s. 40J, 1.11.2016 for the insertion of s. 40E for specified purposes and s. 40I) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), ss. 8(1), 94(3) (with s. 8(2)); S.I. 2015/773, art. 2(1)(a)(i) (with art. 4); S.I. 2016/1007, art. 2(b)