4Power to relax statutory and contractual obligations, etc.
(1)Any person supplying or using a substance to which this Act applies may, if authorised to do so by the Secretary of State by any general or special authority granted for the purpose, and while acting in accordance with that authority, disregard or fall short in discharging any obligation imposed by or under any enactment, or any contractual obligation, relating to or involving the supply or use of that substance.
(2)At any time while an order under section 2(1) of this Act is in force the Secretary of State may grant, or enable any person to grant on his behalf, a general or special authority for the doing, during the whole or any part of the period for which the order is in force, of all or any of the things mentioned in the following paragraphs; and a person acting under and in accordance with such an authority may then—
(a)use, or cause or permit the use of, any vehicle on a road as a stage carriage, an express carriage or a contract carriage without any licence, permit, agreement or consent otherwise required, and notwithstanding that the vehicle does not comply with regulations made under section 160 of the [1960 c. 16.] Road Traffic Act 1960 or with such of the regulations made under section 40 of the [1972 c. 20.] Road Traffic Act 1972 as would not apply to the vehicle if it were not so used ;
(b)drive or act as conductor of a public service vehicle without being licensed to do so under section 144 of the Road Traffic Act 1960 or employ a person not so licensed to drive or act as conductor of any such vehicle;
(c)act, or cause or permit a person to act, as the driver of a passenger vehicle without complying with the requirements of subsections (1) to (6) of section 96 of the [1968 c. 73.] Transport Act 1968.
(3)Her Majesty may by Order in Council make provision for modifying or excluding any obligation or restriction imposed, or extending any power conferred, by or under any enactment which directly or indirectly affects the supply or use of a substance to which this Act applies.
(4)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3) above, an Order in Council under that subsection may make such provision for modifying an order under section 2 of the [1973 c. 9.] Counter-Inflation Act 1973 as appears to Her Majesty to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of such orders made or directions given or to be given under section 2 of this Act as regulate or specify the price at which a substance may be or is to be supplied by any person.
(5)In the application of this Act to Northern Ireland the preceding provisions of this section shall apply with such modifications and adaptations as Her Majesty may by Order in Council specify.
(6)Any Order in Council made under this section may be varied or revoked by a subsequent Order in Council and any statutory instrument by which such an Order is made shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.