Valid from 03/04/1996
7(1)If a police officer of at least the rank of superintendent has reasonable grounds for believing—
(a)that there is material which is likely to be of substantial value (whether by itself or together with other material) to a terrorist investigation to be found on premises which are wholly or partly within a cordoned area, and
(b)that the material does not consist of or include items subject to legal privilege, excluded material or special procedure material,
he may give written authority for a search of the premises.
(2)If written authority is given under this paragraph, a constable may enter the premises specified in the authority, search the premises and any person found there and seize and retain anything found there or on any such person, other than items subject to legal privilege, if he has reasonable grounds for believing—
(a)that it is likely to be of substantial value (whether by itself or together with other material) to the investigation; and
(b)that it is necessary to seize it in order to prevent it being concealed, lost, damaged, altered or destroyed.
(3)Entry and search under an authority given under this paragraph may be at any time (and on more than one occasion) while the area concerned is a cordoned area.
(4)Nothing in this paragraph authorises a constable to require a person to remove any of his clothing in public other than any headgear, footwear, outer coat, jacket or gloves.
(5)Any power of seizure conferred by this Schedule is without prejudice to the powers conferred by section 19 of the M1Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and for the purposes of sections 21 and 22 of that Act (access to, and copying and retention of, seized material), a terrorist investigation is to be treated as an investigation of or in connection with an offence.
(6)In this paragraph “items subject to legal privilege”, “excluded material” and “special procedure material” have the meaning given in sections 10 to 14 of the M2Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.