The Older Cattle (Disposal) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

Powers of inspectors

4.—(1) An inspector shall, on producing, if so required, a duly authenticated document showing his authority, have a right, at all reasonable hours, to enter any land or premises for the purposes of ensuring that these Regulations and the Commission Regulation are being complied with.

(2) An inspector may—

(a) seize any animal by-products and dispose of them as necessary;

(b) carry out any inquiry, examination or test;

(c) take any samples;

(d) have access to, inspect and copy any records (in whatever form they are held) kept under these Regulations or the Commission Regulation, or remove those records to enable them to be copied;

(e) have access to, inspect and check the operation of, any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been in use in connection with the records; and for this purpose may require any person having charge of, or otherwise concerned with the operation of, the computer, apparatus or material to give him any assistance he may reasonably require (including providing him with any necessary passwords) and, where a record is kept by means of a computer, may require the records to be produced in a form in which they may be taken away;

(f) mark an animal, animal by-product or other thing for identification purposes; and

(g) take with him—

(i) such other persons as he considers necessary; and

(ii) any representative of the European Commission acting for the purposes of the Commission Regulation.

(3) A person who defaces, obliterates or removes any mark applied under paragraph (2) is guilty of an offence.

(4) If an inspector enters any unoccupied premises he shall leave them as effectively secured against unauthorised entry as he found them.

(5) In this regulation “premises” includes any vehicle or container.