A person appointed under this Part of this Act to determine an appeal may (whether or not the parties have asked for an opportunity to appear and be heard) hold a local inquiry in connection with the appeal and shall hold such an inquiry if the Minister directs him to do so.
Subject to subsection (3) below, the costs—
(a) of any hearing held by virtue of section 21 (6) (b) above ; and
(b) of any inquiry held by virtue of this section,
shall be defrayed by the Minister.
Subsections (2) to (5) of section 290 of the Local Government Act 1933 (evidence and costs at local inquiries) shall apply in relation to an inquiry held under this section as they apply in relation to an inquiry caused to be held by a department under subsection (1) of that section, with the substitution for references to a department (other than the first reference in subsection (4)) of references to the Minister.