The Beef Special Premium (Scotland) Regulations 2001

Powers of authorised persons

18.—(1) An authorised person may at all reasonable hours, on producing, if so required, some duly authenticated document showing the authorised person’s authority, exercise the powers specified in this regulation for the purposes of–

(a) carrying out any specified control measure; or

(b) ascertaining whether an offence under regulation 22(d) has been or is being committed.

(2) An authorised person may enter any land, other than land used only as a dwelling, which is, or which such person has reasonable cause to believe to be, a holding occupied by, or in the possession of–

(a) a person who has applied for a national administrative document; or

(b) an applicant.

(3) An authorised person who has entered any land by virtue of paragraph (2)(a) may inspect, identify and count any bovine animals on that land.

(4) An authorised person who has entered any land by virtue of paragraph (2)(b) may–

(a) inspect and verify the total area of land, including forage area, farmed by an applicant;

(b) inspect, identify and count any bovine animals on that land;

(c) carry out any other activity which is a specified control measure; and

(d) inspect that land for the purpose of determining whether or not it has been overgrazed or unsuitable supplementary feeding methods have been used on it.

(5) An authorised person entering any land by virtue of this regulation may be accompanied by such other persons as the authorised person considers necessary.

(6) An authorised person may–

(a) require a person who has applied for a national administrative document, an applicant, or any employee or agent of that person or applicant, to produce any specified record and to supply any additional information in the possession or under the control of that person or applicant, relating to an application for a national administrative document or beef special premium, as the case may be;

(b) require a person who is selling a bovine animal in respect of which a national administrative document has been issued to produce or cause to be produced that national administrative document;

(c) inspect any cattle passport, national administrative document or specified record and, where any specified record is kept by means of a computer, have access to, and inspect and check the operation of, any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been used in connection with that specified record;

(d) require that copies of, or extracts from, any cattle passport, national administrative document or specified record be produced; and

(e) seize and retain any specified record which that authorised person has reason to believe may be required as evidence in proceedings under these Regulations and, where any such record is kept by means of a computer, require it to be produced in a form in which it is visible and legible and may be taken away.