The Environmental Protection (Controls on Ozone-Depleting Substances) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Powers of authorised officers and authorised persons

6.—(1) An authorised officer or 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 carrying into effect these Regulations other than regulation 4, in so far as that regulation relates to Article 17(l) and (2).

(2) The powers referred to in paragraph (1) are –

(a) at any reasonable time to enter premises, other than premises used wholly or mainly for residential purposes, 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 whose presence appears to him to be required in connection with the exercise by him of any power under this regulation, including, if he 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 of any articles or substances found in or on any premises which he has power to enter;

(g) in the case of any article or substance found in or on any premises which he has power to enter, being an article or substance which appears to him to have caused or to be likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health or to the health of animals or plants, to cause it to be dismantled or subjected to any process or test (but not so as to damage or destroy it unless this is necessary);

(h) in the case of any such article or substance as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (g), to take possession of it and detain it for so long as is necessary for all or any of the following purposes, namely –

(i) to examine it and do to it anything which he has power to do under that sub-paragraph;

(ii) to ensure that it is not tampered with before his examination of it is completed;

(iii) to ensure that it is available for use as evidence in any proceedings for an offence under regulation 7;

(i) 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 anyone, other than someone nominated by that person to be present and anyone whom the authorised officer or the authorised person may allow to be present) such questions as the authorised officer or the authorised person thinks fit to ask and to sign a declaration of the truth of his answers;

(j) to require the production of, or where the information is recorded in computerised form, the furnishing of extracts from, any records which it is necessary for him to see for the purposes of any examination or investigation under sub-paragraph (c) and to inspect and take copies of, or of any entry in, the records;

(k) 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 officer or the authorised person to exercise any of the powers conferred on him by this regulation.

(3) Where an authorised officer or authorised person proposes to exercise the power conferred by paragraph (2)(g) in the case of an article or substance found in or on any premises, he shall, if so requested by a person who at the time is present on and has responsibilities in relation to those premises, cause anything which is to be done by virtue of that power to be done in the presence of that person.

(4) Before exercising the power conferred by paragraph (2)(g) in the case of any article or substance, an authorised officer or an authorised person shall consult such persons as appear to him appropriate for the purpose of ascertaining what dangers, if any, there may be in doing anything which he proposes to do under the power.

(5) Where under the power conferred by paragraph (2)(h) an authorised officer or an authorised person takes possession of any article or substance found on any premises, he shall leave there, either with a responsible person or, if that is impracticable, fixed in a conspicuous position, a notice giving particulars of that article or substance sufficient to identify it and stating that he has taken possession of it under that power; and before taking possession of any such substance under that power an authorised officer or an authorised person shall, if it is practical for him to do so, take a sample of it and give to a responsible person at the premises a portion of the sample marked in a manner sufficient to identify it.

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

(7) Nothing in this regulation 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 disclosure and inspection in an action in the High Court.

(8) No person shall –

(a) intentionally prevent any other person from appearing before an authorised officer or an authorised person under paragraph (2)(i) or from answering any question to which an authorised officer or an authorised person may by virtue of paragraph (2)(i) require an answer;

(b) intentionally obstruct an authorised officer or an authorised person in the exercise or performance of his powers or duties; or

(c) falsely pretend to be an authorised officer or an authorised person.