Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

[F1 19ZC Wildlife inspectors: Scotland S

(1) The Scottish Ministers may authorise any person to carry out the functions conferred by this section and section 19ZD(3), (4) and (8) (and any person so authorised is to be known as a “wildlife inspector”).

(2) An authorisation under subsection (1)—

(a) shall be in writing, and

(b) is subject to any conditions or limitations specified in it.

(3) A wildlife inspector may, at any reasonable time and (if required to do so) upon producing evidence of authorisation, enter and inspect—

(a) any premises for the purpose of ascertaining whether an offence under section 6, 9(5) [F2 , 11I(1)] or 13(2) is being, or has been, committed on those premises;

(b) any premises where the inspector has reasonable cause to believe that any birds included in Schedule 4 are kept, for the purpose of ascertaining whether an offence under section 7 is being, or has been, committed on those premises;

(c) any premises where the inspector has reasonable cause to believe that any birds are kept, for the purpose of ascertaining whether an offence under section 8(1) is being, or has been, committed on those premises;

(d) any premises for the purpose of ascertaining whether an offence under section 14 [F3 , 14ZC, 14A, [F4 14AA,] [F4 14AA,] 14B or 14K] is being, or has been, committed on those premises;

(e) any premises for the purpose of [F5 —

(i) verifying any statement or representation made, or document or information supplied, by an occupier in connection with an application for, or the holding of, a relevant registration or licence; or

(ii) ascertaining whether a condition to which a relevant registration or licence was subject to has been complied with.]

(4) In subsection (3)—

(a) paragraphs (a) to (c) do not confer power to enter a dwelling except for purposes connected with—

(i) a relevant registration or licence held by an occupier of the dwelling; or

(ii) an application by an occupier of the dwelling for a relevant registration or licence,

(b) paragraph (d) does not confer power to enter a dwelling.

(5) A wildlife inspector may, for the purpose of ascertaining whether an offence under section 6, 7, 8(1), 9(5), [F6 11I(1), 13(2), 14, 14ZC, 14A, [F7 14AA,] 14B or 14K] is being, or has been, committed in respect of any specimen, require any person who has possession or control of the specimen to make it available for examination by the inspector.

(6) Any person who has possession or control of any live bird or other animal shall give any wildlife inspector acting in the exercise of powers conferred by this section such assistance as the inspector may reasonably require for the purpose of examining the bird or other animal.

(7) Any person who—

(a) intentionally obstructs a wildlife inspector acting in the exercise of powers conferred by subsection (3) or (5); or

(b) fails without reasonable excuse to give any assistance reasonably required under subsection (6),

shall be guilty of an offence.

(8) Any person who, with intent to deceive, falsely pretends to be a wildlife inspector shall be guilty of an offence.

(9) In this section—

• “relevant registration or licence” means—

  (a)

  a registration in accordance with regulations under section 7(1); or

  (b)

  a licence under section 16 authorising anything which would otherwise be an offence under section 6, 7, 8(1), 9(5), [F8 11I(1), 13(2), 14, 14ZC [F9 , 14A or 14AA]];

• “specimen” means any bird, other animal [F10 , plant, fungus or micro-organism] or any part of, or anything derived from, a bird, other animal [F10 , plant, fungus or micro-organism].]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 19ZC, 19ZD inserted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 17; S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2

F2 Word in s. 19ZC(3)(a) inserted (2.7.2012) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 22(4)(a)(i), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2012/175, art. 2(1)(d)

F3 Words in s. 19ZC(3)(d) substituted (2.7.2012) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 22(4)(a)(ii), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2012/175, art. 2(1)(d)

F4 Word in s. 19ZC(3)(d) inserted (1.11.2019) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, c.) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/364), regs. 1(2), 2(5)(a)

F5 Words in s. 19ZC(3)(e) substituted (2.7.2012) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 22(4)(a)(iii), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2012/175, art. 2(1)(d)

F6 Words in s. 19ZC(5) substituted (2.7.2012) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 22(4)(b), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2012/175, art. 2(1)(d)

F7 Word in s. 19ZC(5) inserted (1.11.2019) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, c.) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/364), regs. 1(2), 2(5)(b)

F8 Words in s. 19ZC(9) substituted (2.7.2012) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 22(4)(c), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2012/175, art. 2(1)(d)

F9 Words in s. 19ZC(9) substituted (1.11.2019) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, c.) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/364), regs. 1(2), 2(5)(c)(i)

F10 Words in s. 19ZC(9) substituted (1.11.2019) by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, c.) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/364), regs. 1(2), 2(5)(c)(ii)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 19ZC applied (with modifications) (S.) (29.11.2004) by S.I. 1994/2716, reg. 101A(3) (as susbstituted by The Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (S.S.I. 2004/475), reg. 18