4.—(1) The person who at the coming into force of this Order is the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and any successors to that person shall be, by that name, a corporation sole.
(2) The corporate seal of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs shall—
(a)be authenticated by the signature of a Secretary of State or a person authorised by a Secretary of State to act in that behalf, and
(b)be officially and judicially noticed.
(3) Every document purporting to be an instrument made or issued by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and to be—
(a)sealed with his corporate seal authenticated in the manner provided by paragraph (2), or
(b)signed or executed by a person authorised by a Secretary of State to act in that behalf,
shall be received in evidence and deemed to be so made or issued without further proof, unless the contrary is shown.
(4) A certificate signed by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that any instrument purporting to be made or issued by—
(a)the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
(b)the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, or
(c)the Secretary of State for the Environment,
was so made or issued shall be conclusive evidence of that fact.
(5) The Documentary Evidence Act 1868(1) shall apply in relation to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs—
(a)as if references to orders and regulations included references to any document, and
(b)as if the officers mentioned in column 2 of the Schedule included any officer authorised to act on behalf of the Secretary of State.