27A.— (1) Where the Authority has received an application for a licence under section 21 and, having considered the application it is satisfied that—

(a) the requirements of this Act and any regulations relating to licence applications made pursuant to section 51 have been complied with (otherwise than as respects the competence of the applicant to provide the security service to which the application relates), and

(b) it is appropriate to grant a temporary licence to the applicant to enable the applicant to display the necessary competence to provide security services of a type to which the application for a licence relates,

the Authority may grant a temporary licence for a period not exceeding 6 months to enable the applicant to satisfy the Authority that the applicant has the necessary competence to provide security services of a type to which the application relates.

(2) Where the Authority has granted a temporary licence under this section and the Authority is satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist, the Authority may extend the term of such licence by a period not exceeding 3 months.

(3) The Authority may, in respect of a particular licensee, exercise its power under subsection (2) once only.

(4) This section shall not apply in a case where the application relates to the renewal of a licence.

(5) Section 28 shall not apply to a temporary licence issued pursuant to this section.]