Each Board may, with the consent of the Minister, promote Bills in Parliament and may oppose any Bill in Parliament.

The British Waterways Board may, with the consent of the Scottish Ministers, promote Bills in the Scottish Parliament and may oppose any Bill in the Scottish Parliament

The power conferred by subsection (1) of this section shall be in lieu of any power to promote or oppose Bills which a Board might otherwise possess under the provisions of this Act as successors to the persons carrying on any undertaking, and, in particular, the persons carrying on any undertaking transferred to the Commission by the M1Transport Act 1947, but nothing in this section shall be construed as prejudicing any power exercisable by any Board as successors to apply for orders, and oppose applications for orders, including orders subject to special parliamentary procedure.

In the application of this section to Scotland “Bill in Parliament” includes an order under the M2Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936.