20. (1) Without prejudice to section 15 but subject to subsections (3) to (5) and (7), the Minister may, F8[by order,] designate one or more than one public body (other than a public body which falls within paragraph (d) of the definition of “public body”) to be a competent authority (in this Part referred to as a “competent authority (D)”) for the purposes of preparing and publishing on a website of the public body a maritime area plan (in this Act referred as a “designated maritime area plan”) in accordance with this Chapter and the MSP Directive and any such designation may be in respect of one or more than one of the following:

(a) all or specified activities of a competent authority for the purposes of the MSP Directive;

(b) acting as a coordinating body for some or all of the competent authorities for some of their activities;

(c) one or more than one designated geographical or sectoral area, or both, of the maritime area.

(2) A competent authority (D) shall be deemed to have all the functions necessary to perform functions for the purposes of the designation concerned.

(3) Where the Minister F9[proposes to designate by order a public body] as a competent authority (D) and the body is—

(a) a Minister of the Government, or

(b) any other public body that, in the opinion of the Minister, is a body directly or indirectly responsible to a Minister of the Government,

then the Minister F9[shall not make the order] without the consent of the Minister of the Government concerned.

(4) Where the Minister proposes to F9[designate, by order, a] public body as a competent authority then, without prejudice to subsection (3) where that subsection applies, the Minister shall consult with that body F9[before making the order].

F9[(5) An order amending or revoking an order designating a public body as a competent authority (D) may provide for any matters ancillary or consequential to such amendment or revocation.]

(6) F10[…]

(7) Where the competent authority (M) has prepared and published on a website of the Government a DMAP in accordance with Chapter 6, the Minister may designate F8[by order] under this section, and with all necessary modifications to this section, a public body to perform any functions under this Act in relation to that DMAP that would, in the absence of F9[such order being made], otherwise have to be performed by the competent authority (M).