s 25 Power of Secretary of State to restrict knowledge of applications etc.
(1) The Secretary of State may direct the appropriate Agency that in his opinion, on grounds of national security, it is necessary that knowledge of such information as may be specified or described in the directions, being information contained in or relating to — (a) any particular application for registration under section 7 or 10 or applications of any description specified in the directions, or (b) any particular registration or registrations of any description so specified, should be restricted. (2) The Secretary of State . . . may direct the appropriate Agency that in his . . . opinion, on grounds of national security, it is necessary that knowledge of such information as may be specified or described in the directions, being information contained in or relating to — (a) any particular application for authorisation under section 13 or 14 or for the transfer (in whole or in part) or variation of an authorisation or applications of any description specified in the directions, or (b) any particular authorisation under either of those sections or authorisations of any description so specified, should be restricted. (3) Where it appears to the appropriate Agency that an application, registration or authorisation is the subject of any directions under this section, the appropriate Agency shall not send a copy of so much of the application or the certificate of registration or authorisation or notice of variation as contains the information specified or described in the directions — (a) to any local authority under any provision of section 7 or 10, or (b) to any public or local authority under any provision of section 16 16A or 17 . (3A) No direction under this section shall affect— (a) any power or duty of the Agency to which it is given to consult the Food Standards Agency ; or (b) the information which is to be sent by that Agency to the Food Standards Agency . (3B) In the application of this section to Scotland, the references in subsection (3A) to the Food Standards Agency are to be read as references to Food Standards Scotland. (4) In the application of this section to Northern Ireland— (a) references to the Secretary of State shall have effect as references to the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, and (b) in subsection (2), the reference to England shall have effect as a reference to Northern Ireland and the reference to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shall have effect as a reference to the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .