Government departmentsE+W+N.I.
11.—(1) A production order may be made in relation to material in the possession or control of an authorised government department.
(2) An order so made may require any officer of the department (whether named in the order or not) who may for the time being be in possession or control of the material to comply with it.
(3) An order containing such a requirement must be served as if the proceedings were civil proceedings against the department.
(4) If an order contains such a requirement—
(a)the person on whom it is served must take all reasonable steps to bring it to the attention of the officer concerned,
(b)any other officer of the department who is in receipt of the order must also take all reasonable steps to bring it to the attention of the officer concerned.
(5) If the order is not brought to the attention of the officer concerned within the period stated in the order (in pursuance of article 6(4)) the person on whom it is served must report the reasons for the failure to a High Court judge.
(6) An authorised government department is a government department, or a Northern Ireland department, which is an authorised department for the purposes of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947(1).