PART 5Administration
Powers of entry33
1
An authorised officer of the Secretary of State or an enforcement authority may, on producing a duly authenticated authorisation if required, enter any premises at any reasonable hour for the purpose of enforcing these Regulations; and in these Regulations “premises” includes any place, vehicle, trailer, container, stall, moveable structure, ship or aircraft.
2
The officer may be accompanied by such other persons as the officer considers necessary, including any representative of the European Commission.
3
Admission to any premises used only as a private dwellinghouse may not be demanded as of right unless the entry is in accordance with a warrant granted under this regulation.
4
If a justice of the peace, on sworn information in writing, is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for entry into any premises for any purpose in paragraph (1) and that either—
a
admission to the premises has been refused, or a refusal is anticipated, and that notice of the intention to apply for a warrant has been given to the occupier, or
b
an application for admission, or the giving of such notice, would defeat the object of the entry, or that the case is one of urgency, or that the premises are unoccupied or the occupier temporarily absent,
the justice may by signed warrant authorise an authorised officer to enter the premises, if need be by reasonable force.
5
A warrant granted under this regulation continues in force for one month.
6
An officer who enters any unoccupied premises must leave them as effectively secured against unauthorised entry as they were before entry.