8.—(1) The Scottish Ministers are designated as the competent authority for the purpose of the first sub paragraph of Article 5(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 589/2008 (authorisation of undertakings as packing centres to grade eggs).
(2) Where an application is made to the Scottish Ministers under the first sub paragraph of Article 5(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 589/2008 to authorise an undertaking as a packing centre to grade eggs, they must notify the applicant in writing of the matters specified in paragraph (3) within 28 days.
(3) The specified matters for the purpose of paragraph (2) are–
(a)the decision of the Scottish Ministers on the application;
(b)the reasons for any refusal to grant an authorisation; and
(c)in the case of any refusal to grant an authorisation, the right of appeal conferred by regulation 17.
(4) Where the Scottish Ministers decide to withdraw an authorisation of a packing centre to grade eggs because of a contravention of or failure to comply with any of the requirements mentioned in the first sub paragraph of Article 5(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 589/2008, they must notify the person carrying on business at the packing centre in writing of the matters specified in paragraph (5) within 28 days.
(5) The specified matters for the purpose of paragraph (4) are–
(a)the decision of the Scottish Ministers to withdraw the authorisation;
(b)the date on which the withdrawal of the authorisation is to take effect;
(c)the reasons for the withdrawal; and
(d)the right of appeal conferred by regulation 17.
(6) For the purposes of calculating the 28 day time limit specified in paragraph (2) no account is to be taken of any period–
(a)during which the Scottish Ministers request an applicant to provide further data and the data have not been provided; or
(b)any period that the applicant is given–
(i)to provide oral or written explanations; or
(ii)to comply with any requirements laid down in the first sub paragraph of Article 5(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 589/2008.
(7) In this regulation anything to be done in writing–
(a)may be done by an electronic communication within the meaning of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 if it is recorded and is subsequently capable of being reproduced;
(b)must only, unless it is an application under paragraph (2), be sent to a person as an electronic communication if that person has consented to the use of that method of communication;
(c)if done by electronic communication shall be regarded as sent when the text of it is received in legible form.