The Secretary of State may cause a local inquiry to be held in any case where he is authorised by any of the relevant sewerage provisions to determine any difference, to make any order, to give any consent or otherwise to act under any of those provisions.

Subject to subsection (3) below, subsections (2) to (5) of section 250 of the M1Local Government Act 1972 (which contain supplementary provisions with respect to local inquiries held in pursuance of that section) shall apply to local inquiries under subsection (1) above or any of the other provisions of this Act as they apply to inquiries under that section.

Subsection (4) of the said section 250 shall apply in accordance with subsection (2) above in relation to such local inquiries under this Act as are held with respect to any matter affecting the carrying out of any function of the NRA as if the reference to a local authority in that subsection included a reference to the NRA.