The Quality Schemes (Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs) Regulations 2018

Powers of authorised officers on entry

11.—(1) An authorised officer who has entered premises under regulation 10 may—

(a) inspect and search the premises;

(b) take photographs;

(c) mark any item for identification purposes;

(d) require the production of any label, document or record (in whatever form it is held);

(e) inspect and take a copy of, or take a copy of an extract from, any label, document or record;

(f) inspect and open any container, item or vending machine;

(g) inspect any plant, machinery or equipment;

(h) have access to, inspect and check the data on, and operation of, any computer and any associated apparatus used in connection with a label, document or record to which this regulation relates;

(i) where a label, document or record is kept by means of a computer, require the label, document or record to be produced in a form in which it may be taken away;

(j) seize and detain any computer equipment for the purpose of copying any data or for further inspection where adequate inspection has not been able to be carried out on the premises, if the authorised officer has reason to believe that a person is in contravention of these Regulations or the EU Regulations and that the data may be relevant to the contravention;

(k) seize and detain potential evidentiary material, that is to say, any label, document, record, equipment, container or item if the authorised officer has reason to believe that a person is in contravention of these Regulations or the EU Regulations and that the potential evidentiary material may be relevant to the contravention.

(2) An authorised officer may require any person to provide the authorised officer with such assistance, information or facilities as the officer may reasonably require for the purposes of the execution or enforcement of these Regulations or the EU Regulations.

(3) If it is decided that anything seized and detained under paragraph (1) by an authorised officer is no longer needed by an enforcement authority in connection with a possible contravention of these Regulations or the EU Regulations, the authorised officer must return it as soon as reasonably practicable after that decision.