(1)A public authority carrying out a function under this Part, other than under regulations made by a devolved authority acting alone, must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State in relation to the function.
(2)A public authority carrying out a function under regulations made under this Part by the Secretary of State acting jointly with one or more devolved authorities must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State or any of those devolved authorities in relation to the function.
(3)Before issuing guidance under subsection (2)—
(a)the Secretary of State must—
(i)obtain the consent of the Scottish Ministers so far as the guidance relates to a matter provision about which would be within Scottish devolved legislative competence by virtue of section 157(3) or which could be made by the Scottish Ministers;
(ii)obtain the consent of the Welsh Ministers so far as the guidance relates to a matter provision about which would be within Welsh devolved legislative competence (see section 157(7));
(iii)obtain the consent of the relevant Northern Ireland department so far as the guidance relates to a matter provision about which would be within Northern Ireland devolved legislative competence (see section 157(11));
(b)the Scottish Ministers must obtain the consent of the Secretary of State so far as the guidance relates to a matter provision about which would not be within Scottish devolved legislative competence by virtue of section 157(3) or which could not be made by the Scottish Ministers;
(c)the Welsh Ministers must obtain the consent of the Secretary of State so far as the guidance relates to a matter provision about which would be outside Welsh devolved legislative competence (see section 157(7));
(d)a Northern Ireland department must obtain the consent of the Secretary of State so far as the guidance relates to a matter provision about which would be outside Northern Ireland devolved legislative competence (see section 157(11)).
(4)The “relevant Northern Ireland department” is such Northern Ireland department as the Secretary of State considers appropriate having regard to the material which is to be contained in the guidance concerned.
(5)A public authority carrying out a function under regulations made under this Part by a devolved authority acting alone must have regard to any guidance issued by the devolved authority in relation to the function.
(6)A public authority carrying out a function under existing environmental assessment legislation listed in Part 1 of Schedule 14 (other than a function under Schedule 3 to the Harbours Act 1964 so far as relating to environmental impact assessments in Scotland) must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State in relation to the function.
(7)A public authority carrying out a function under existing environmental assessment legislation listed in Part 2 of Schedule 14 must have regard to any guidance issued by the Scottish Ministers in relation to the function.
(8)A public authority carrying out a function under existing environmental assessment legislation listed in Part 3 of Schedule 14 must have regard to any guidance issued by the Welsh Ministers in relation to the function.
(9)A public authority carrying out a function under existing environmental assessment legislation listed in Part 4 of Schedule 14 must have regard to any guidance issued by a Northern Ireland department in relation to the function.
(10)EOR regulations may require any person carrying out a function under EOR regulations to have regard to guidance issued by an appropriate authority in relation to the function, failing which the function is not to be regarded as having been validly carried out.