PART IIIMISCELLANEOUS

Furnishing of Information

28Power of Ministry to obtain information and forecasts.

1

For the purpose of obtaining information and forecasts reasonably required by the Ministry in order to allow the Ministry to regulate harbours, assist in their development, promote their efficient use or compile statistics relating to the external trade of Northern Ireland the Ministry may—

a

by notice in writing served on a person improving, maintaining or managing a harbour, require him to furnish to the Ministry such information or forecasts as may reasonably be specified in the notice;

b

by notice in writing served on a person carrying out at a harbour, harbour operations of a particular description, not being the person improving, maintaining or managing that harbour, require him to furnish to the Ministry such information or forecasts relating to harbour operations of that description carried out by him at that harbour as may be so specified; or

c

by notice in writing served on a person (other than a person referred to in paragraph ( a) or ( b)) improving, maintaining or managing a dock or wharf require him to furnish to the Ministry such information or forecasts relating to that dock or wharf as may reasonably be specified in the notice;

and any such notice may require any such information or forecasts to be furnished in such manner and within such time as may be specified in the notice, and either periodically or on one occasion or more.

2

A person who—

a

fails to satisfy an obligation to which he is subject by virtue of subsection (1), unless he proves that he had reasonable excuse for the failure; or

b

in purported compliance with a requirement imposed under subsection (1), gives any information which he knows to be false in a material particular or makes a statement which he knows to be so false or recklessly gives any information which is so false or recklessly makes any statement which is so false;

shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceedingF1 level 3 on the standard scale.