(1)The Secretary of State must consult the statutory consultees—
(a)before first exercising the power in section 4(1) to make licensing regulations, and
(b)before first exercising the power in section 4(3) to make licensing regulations.
(2)The Secretary of State must, as part of a consultation under subsection (1)—
(a)set out how the Secretary of State proposes to approach the matters referred to in section 5(1)(a) to (i) when making the licensing regulations, and
(b)ask the statutory consultees for their views on those proposals.
(3)The Secretary of State must also, as part of a consultation under subsection (1), ask the statutory consultees for their views on—
(a)whether the proposed regulations are likely to be an effective means of securing that National Supported Housing Standards are met, and
(b)any additional mechanisms for securing compliance with such standards.
(4)In this section “the statutory consultees” means—
(a)each local housing authority in England,
(b)each social services authority in England,
(c)the National Housing Federation, and
(d)the Regulator of Social Housing.