23Notice of rejection of agent application

23 Notice of rejection of agent application

(1)  If the Council, after considering an agent application referred to it by the Authority, informs the Authority that it does not recommend that the organisms to which the application relates should be agent organisms, the Authority shall cause to be given, in such manner as the Authority considers appropriate, to the person who made the agent application and to the persons (if any) who made a later agent application in respect of those organisms notice in writing that the Council does not recommend that those organisms should be agent organisms.

(2)  A notice under subsection (1) shall –

(a) if reasons have been given by the Council for not recommending that organisms to which the notice relates should be agent organisms – set out those reasons; and

(b) if there are circumstances in which, in the opinion of the Authority, an agent application in relation to those organisms might result in a recommendation by the Council that those organisms should be agent organisms – specify those circumstances.