(1)  Subject to this Act, a licence granted in respect of the growing of a prohibited plant under Part V and in force immediately before the commencement of the Poisons Amendment (Poppy Industry Reform) Act 2016 ( the amending Act ) is to be taken to be a poppy grower's licence granted under this Act and remains in force as such a licence for –

(a) subject to paragraph (b) , the period for which the licence would have remained in force if the amending Act had not commenced; or

(b) if, before the expiry of the period referred to in paragraph (a) , the person has provided to the Board a document, issued by a body approved by the Board, providing evidence that the person is a fit and proper person and the Board has not notified the person that the Board is of the opinion that the person is not a fit and proper person – a period of 5 years from the date on which the document was issued by the body.

(2)  Nothing in subsection (1) is to be taken to prevent the conditions and restrictions in a licence to which that subsection applies from being varied under section 9 .