Financial Assistance for Young Farmers Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2005

Powers of authorised persons

9.—(1) An authorised person may at all reasonable times, on producing, if so required, a document showing his authority, enter on any land used for the purpose of an applicant’s agricultural business for the purpose of carrying out an inspection of such land or of any document, record or equipment in the possession or under the control of the applicant relating to, or which the authorised person may reasonably suspect relates to, the applicant’s agricultural business, qualifying loan or business plan.

(2) An authorised person who has entered any land under paragraph (1) may –

(a) inspect the land and any document, record or equipment on it which he reasonably believes relates to an applicant’s agricultural business, qualifying loan or business plan;

(b) require the applicant or any employee, servant or agent of such applicant, to produce, or secure the production of, any document or supply any additional information in his possession or under his control relating to the applicant’s agricultural business, qualifying loan or business plan;

(c) where any document or other record relating to an applicant’s agricultural business, qualifying loan or business plan is kept by means of a computer, have access to any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been used in connection with that document or record;

(d) require copies of, or extracts from, any such document or other record to be produced; and

(e) seize and retain any document or other record which he reasonably believes may be required as evidence in proceedings under this Scheme, and if it is recorded otherwise than in a form which it is legible or can be taken away, require it to be produced in a form in which it is legible or in which it can be taken away.

(3) An applicant or any employee, servant or agent of an applicant shall give an authorised person all reasonable assistance in relation to the matters specified in paragraphs (1) and (2).

(4) An authorised person entering any land under paragraph (1) may take with him such other persons as he considers necessary and paragraphs (2) and (3) apply to such persons when acting under the instructions of an authorised person as if they were authorised persons.