(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Order, the 1992 Act shall have effect on and after the date on which this Order comes into force with the substitution, for references to the British Coal Corporation, of references to the licensed operator who is for the time being authorised to carry on coal-mining operations in relation to the site referred to in the title to the 1992 Act.
(2) Accordingly, the 1992 Act shall have effect so that, on a person other than the British Coal Corporation first becoming the licensed operator authorised as mentioned in paragraph (1) above—
(a) all the rights and liabilities of the British Coal Corporation under the 1992 Act shall be transferred to that person (hereafter referred to as “the successor”); and
(b) anything which—
(i) has been done under or for any of the purposes of the 1992 Act by or in relation to the British Coal Corporation, or
(ii) is deemed to have been so done,
shall be deemed, so far as necessary for that purpose and for the purposes of the continuation by or against the successor of any proceedings under or for the purposes of that Act, to have been done by or in relation to the successor.
(3) Paragraph (2) above shall have effect in relation to the second and any subsequent persons who become the licensed operator authorised as mentioned in paragraph (1) above as if—
(i) the references to the British Coal Corporation were references to the previous licensed operator who was so authorised, and
(ii) the references to the successor were references to the second and any subsequent licensed operators who become so authorised, as appropriate.
