National Insurance Act 1965

90 Inspectors.

(1) For the purposes of this Act, the Minister may appoint such inspectors as he may with the consent of the Treasury determine, and pay to them such salaries or remuneration as may be so determined.

(2) An inspector appointed under this Act, shall for the purposes of the execution of this Act, have power to do all or any of the following things, namely—

(a) to enter at all reasonable times any premises or place liable to inspection under this section;

(b) to make such examination and inquiry as may be necessary for ascertaining whether the provisions of this Act or any enactment re-enacted thereby are being or have been complied with in any such premises or place;

(c) to examine, either alone or in the presence of any other person, as he thinks fit, with respect to any matters under this Act on which he may reasonably require information, every person whom he finds in any such premises or place, or whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be or to have been an insured person, and to require every such person to be so examined;

(d) to exercise such other powers as may be necessary for carrying this Act into effect.

(3) The occupier of any premises or place liable to inspection under this section, and any person who is or has been employing any person, and the servants and agents of any such occupier or other person, and any insured person, shall furnish to an inspector all such information and produce for inspection all such documents as the inspector may reasonably require for the purpose of ascertaining whether contributions are or have been payable, or have been duly paid, by or in respect of any person, or whether benefit is or was payable to or in respect of any person.

(4) If any person—

(a) wilfully delays or obstructs an inspector in the exercise of any power under this section; or

(b) refuses or neglects to answer any question or to furnish any information or to produce any document when required so to do under this section,

he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten pounds in the case of a first offence under this subsection and not exceeding fifty pounds in the case of a second or subsequent such offence:

Provided that no one shall be required under this section to answer any questions or to give any evidence tending to incriminate himself.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4) of this section, an offence shall be deemed not to be a first offence if the offender has previously been found guilty of an offence under section 64(4) of the Industrial Injuries Act or under section 49(4) of the Act of 1946 or section 62(4) of the Industrial Injuries Act of 1946.

(6) Every inspector shall be furnished with a certificate of his appointment, and on applying for admission to any premises or place for the purposes of this Act shall, if so required, produce the said certificate.

(7) The premises and places liable to inspection under this section are any premises or places where an inspector appointed under this Act has reasonable ground for supposing that any persons are employed, except that they do not include any private dwelling-house not used by or by permission of the occupier for the purposes of a trade or business.

(8) Where any premises or place are or is liable to be inspected by an inspector or officer appointed or employed by, or are or is under the control of, some other government department, the Minister may make arrangements with that department for any of the powers or duties of inspectors under this section being carried out by an inspector or officer employed by that department, and, where such an arrangement is made, such inspectors or officers shall have all the powers of an inspector under this section.