Banking Act 2009

[F1 83ZL. Entry of premises under warrant U.K.

(1) A justice of the peace may issue a warrant under this section if satisfied on information on oath given by or on behalf of the Secretary of State, the Bank of England or an investigator that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the first, second or third set of conditions is satisfied.

(2) The first set of conditions is—

(a) that a person on whom an information requirement has been imposed has failed (wholly or in part) to comply with it, and

(b) that on the premises specified in the warrant—

(i) there are documents which have been required, or

(ii) there is information which has been required.

(3) The second set of conditions is—

(a) that the premises specified in the warrant are premises of a bank or a member of the same group (within the meaning of section 3(2)(b)) as a bank,

(b) that there are on the premises documents or information in relation to which an information requirement could be imposed, and

(c) that if such a requirement were to be imposed—

(i) it would not be complied with, or

(ii) the documents or information to which it related would be removed, tampered with or destroyed.

(4) The third set of conditions is—

(a) that an offence mentioned in section 83ZN(4) or (5) has been (or is being) committed by any person,

(b) that there are on the premises specified in the warrant documents or information relevant to whether that offence has been (or is being) committed,

(c) that an information requirement could be imposed in relation to those documents or that information, and

(d) that if such a requirement were to be imposed—

(i) it would not be complied with, or

(ii) the documents or information to which it related would be removed, tampered with or destroyed.

(5) A warrant under this section authorises a constable—

(a) to enter the premises specified in the warrant,

(b) to search the premises and take possession of any documents or information appearing to be documents or information of a kind in respect of which a warrant under this section was issued (“the relevant kind”) or to take, in relation to any such documents or information, any other steps which may appear to be necessary for preserving them or preventing interference with them,

(c) to take copies of, or extracts from, any documents or information appearing to be of the relevant kind,

(d) to require any person on the premises to provide an explanation of any document or information appearing to be of the relevant kind or to state where it may be found, and

(e) to use such force as may be reasonably necessary.

(6) A warrant under this section may be executed by any constable.

(7) The warrant may authorise persons to accompany any constable who is executing it.

(8) The powers in subsection (5) may be exercised by a person authorised by the warrant to accompany a constable; but that person may exercise those powers only in the company of, and under the supervision of, a constable.

(9) In England and Wales, sections 15(5) to (8) and 16(3) to (12) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (execution of search warrants and safeguards) apply to warrants issued under this section.

(10) In Northern Ireland, Articles 17(5) to (8) and 18(3) to (12) of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 apply to warrants issued under this section.

(11) In the application of this section to Scotland—

(a) for the reference to a justice of the peace substitute references to a justice of the peace or a sheriff; and

(b) for the references to information on oath substitute references to evidence on oath.

(12) “Investigator” means an investigator appointed under section 83ZC or 83ZD.

(13) “Information requirement” means a requirement imposed—

(a) by the Bank of England under section 83ZA or 83ZJ, or

(b) by an investigator under section 83ZG, 83ZH or 83ZJ.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 1 Ch. 4 inserted (1.1.2015) by The Bank Recovery and Resolution Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3329), arts. 1(2), 97