The Examining authority must fix, and cause the interested parties to be informed of, the deadline by which an interested party must notify the Secretary of State of the party's wish to be heard at an open-floor hearing.
If the Secretary of State receives notification from at least one interested party before the deadline, the Examining authority must cause an open-floor hearing to be held.
At an open-floor hearing, each interested party is entitled (subject to the Examining authority's powers of control over the conduct of the hearing) to make oral representations about the application.