The Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002

Powers of enforcing authorities and persons authorised by them N.I.

19.—(1) An authorised person may, on production (if so required) of his authority, exercise any of the powers specified in paragraph (2) for the purpose of—

(a) determining whether any provision of the pollution control statutory provisions is being, or has been, complied with;

(b) discharging one or more of the functions conferred or imposed on an enforcing authority by or under the pollution control statutory provisions; or

(c) determining whether and, if so, how such a function should be discharged.

(2) The powers of an authorised person are—

(a) to enter at any reasonable time any premises which he has reason to believe it is necessary for him to enter;

(b) on entering any premises by virtue of sub-paragraph (a), to take with him—

(i) any other person duly authorised by the enforcing authority and, if the authorised person has reasonable cause to apprehend any serious obstruction in the execution of his duty, a constable; and

(ii) any equipment or materials required for any purpose for which the power of entry is being exercised;

(c) to make such examination and investigation as may in any circumstances be necessary;

(d) as regards any premises which he has power to enter, to direct that those premises or any part of them, or anything in them, shall be left undisturbed (whether generally or in particular respects) for so long as is reasonably necessary for the purpose of any examination or investigation under sub-paragraph (c)

(e) to take such measurements and photographs and make such recordings as he considers necessary for the purpose of any examination or investigation under sub-paragraph (c);

(f) to take samples, or cause samples to be taken, of any articles or substances found in or on any premises which he has power to enter, and of the air, in, on, or in the vicinity of, the premises;

(g) to require any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be able to give any information relevant to any examination or investigation under sub-paragraph (c) to answer (in the absence of persons other than a person nominated by that person to be present and any persons whom the authorised person may allow to be present) such questions as the authorised person thinks fit to ask and to sign a declaration of the truth of his answers;

(h) to require the production of, or where the information is recorded in computerised form, the furnishing of extracts from, any records—

(i) which are required to be kept under the pollution control statutory provisions, or

(ii) which it is necessary for him to see for the purposes of an examination or investigation under sub-paragraph (c),

and to inspect and take copies of, or of any entry in, the records;

(j) to require any person to afford him such facilities and assistance with respect to any matters or things within that person's control or in relation to which that person has responsibilities as are necessary to enable the authorised person to exercise any of the powers conferred on him by this Article;

(k) any other power for a purpose mentioned in paragraph (1) which is conferred by regulations.

(3) The powers which under paragraphs (1) and (2) are conferred in relation to any premises for the purpose of enabling an enforcing authority to determine whether any provision of the pollution control statutory provisions is being, or has been, complied with shall include power, in order to obtain the information on which that determination may be made, to install, keep or maintain monitoring and other apparatus there.

(4) In any case where it is proposed to enter any premises used for residential purposes, or to take heavy equipment on to any premises which are to be entered, any entry by virtue of this Article shall only be effected—

(a) after the expiration of at least seven days' notice of the proposed entry given to a person who appears to the authorised person in question to be in occupation of the premises in question, and

(b) either—

(i) with the consent of a person who is in occupation of those premises; or

(ii) under the authority of a warrant by virtue of Schedule 3

(5) Where an authorised person proposes to enter any premises and—

(a) entry has been refused and he apprehends on reasonable grounds that the use of force may be necessary to effect entry, or

(b) he apprehends on reasonable grounds that entry is likely to be refused and that the use of force may be necessary to effect entry,

any entry on to those premises by virtue of this Article shall only be effected under the authority of a warrant by virtue of Schedule 3.

(6) Regulations may make provision as to the procedure to be followed in connection with the taking of, and the dealing with, samples under paragraph (2)(f).

(7) No answer given by a person in pursuance of a requirement imposed under paragraph (2)(g) shall be admissible in evidence against that person in any proceedings.

(8) Nothing in this Article shall be taken to compel the production by any person of a document of which he would on grounds of legal professional privilege be entitled to withhold production on an order for discovery in an action in the High Court.

(9) Schedule 3 shall have effect with respect to the powers of entry and related powers which are conferred by this Article.

(10) In this Article and Schedule 3—

• “authorised person” means a person who is authorised in writing by an enforcing authority for the purposes of this Article;

• “enforcing authority” means—

  (a)

  the Department; or

  (b)

  a district council;

• “mobile plant” means plant which is designed to move or to be moved whether on roads or otherwise;

• “premises” includes any land, vehicle, vessel or mobile plant.

(11) Nothing in section 98 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 (c. 9) shall apply to functions conferred on a district council under this Part.