Gas Act 1995

15 After section 18 of the 1986 Act there shall be inserted the following section—

“18A Gas escape regulations

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision—

(a) for empowering any officer authorised by a public gas transporter, if the transporter has reasonable cause to suspect—

(i) that gas conveyed by the transporter is escaping, or may escape, in any premises; or

(ii) that gas so conveyed which has escaped has entered, or may enter, any premises,

to enter the premises, to carry out any work necessary to prevent the escape of gas and to take any other steps necessary to avert danger to life or property; and

(b) for empowering any officer so authorised, if the transporter has reasonable cause to suspect—

(i) that gas conveyed through pipes by some other person is escaping, or may escape, in any premises; or

(ii) that gas so conveyed which has escaped has entered, or may enter, any premises,

to enter the premises and take any steps necessary to avert danger to life or property.

(2) Subsections (5) to (7) and (11) of section 18 above shall apply for the purposes of this section as if—

(a) any reference to subsection (2) of that section were a reference to subsection (1) above;

(b) any reference to the relevant authority were a reference to a public gas transporter;

(c) any reference to subsection (5) of that section were a reference to that subsection as applied by this subsection; and

(d) the reference in subsection (11) of that section to regulations under that section were a reference to regulations under this section.

(3) The [1954 c. 21.] Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954 (entry under a justice’s warrant) shall apply in relation to any powers of entry conferred by regulations made under subsection (1) above.

(4) Any reference in this section to any officer authorised by a public gas transporter includes a reference to any officer authorised by another such transporter with whom the transporter has made arrangements for officers authorised by the other transporter to discharge any functions under this section of officers authorised by the transporter.”