Any consultation body which is consulted by the Secretary of State in accordance with regulation 7(2) or which receives a request for information from a person who is intending to apply for consent shall determine whether they have in their possession any information which they consider relevant to the preparation of the environmental statement and, if they have, they shall, subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) below, make that information available to the applicant within twenty-eight days from the date of consultation or receipt of the request, as the case may be.

A reasonable charge may be made to the applicant by any body providing information under paragraph (1) above which reflects the cost of making the relevant information available.

Paragraph (1) above shall not require disclosure of information which is either capable of being treated as confidential or required to be so treated under regulation 4 of the Environmental Information Regulations 199215.