The Gas (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Modification following report

17.—(1) Where a report of the Monopolies Commission on a reference under Article 15—

(a) includes conclusions to the effect that any of the matters specified in the reference operate, or may be expected to operate, against the public interest;

(b) specifies effects adverse to the public interest which those matters have or may be expected to have;

(c) includes conclusions to the effect that those effects could be remedied or prevented by modifications of the relevant conditions; and

(d) specifies modifications by which those effects could be remedied or prevented,

the Director shall, subject to the following provisions of this Article, make such modifications of the relevant conditions as appear to him requisite for the purpose of remedying or preventing the adverse effects specified in the report.

(2) Where at any time the Director modifies under paragraph (1) the standard conditions of licences under sub-paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of Article 8(1), he—

(a) shall also make (as nearly as may be) the same modifications of those conditions for the purposes of their incorporation in licences under that sub-paragraph granted after that time; and

(b) may make such incidental or consequential modifications as he considers necessary or expedient of any conditions of licences under that sub-paragraph granted before that time,

and the above reference to paragraph (1) is a reference to that paragraph as it applies in relation to a report on a reference under Article 15(2).

(3) Before making modifications under this Article, the Director shall have regard to the modifications specified in the report.

(4) Before making modifications under this Article, the Director shall give notice—

(a) stating that he proposes to make the modifications and setting out their effect;

(b) stating the reasons why he proposes to make the modifications; and

(c) specifying the period (not being less than 28 days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed modifications may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(5) A notice under paragraph (4) shall be given—

(a) by publishing the notice in such manner as the Director considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by the making of the modifications; and

(b) by serving a copy of the notice on the licence holder or, as the case may be, the relevant licence holders.

(6) Where at any time the Director modifies standard conditions under paragraph (2)(a) for the purposes of their incorporation in licences under sub-paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of Article 8(1) granted after that time, he shall publish the modifications in such manner as he considers appropriate.