Chemical Weapons Act 1996

22 Information and records for purposes of Convention

(1) The Secretary of State may by notice served on any person require him to give in such form as is specified in the notice, and within such reasonable period as is so specified, such information as—

(a) the Secretary of State has reasonable cause to believe is or will be needed in connection with anything to be done for the purposes of the Convention, and

(b) is specified in the notice;

and the information required by a notice may relate to a state of affairs subsisting before the coming into force of this Act or of the Convention.

(2) The Secretary of State may by notice served on any person require him to keep such records as—

(a) the Secretary of State has reasonable cause to believe will facilitate the giving of information the person may at any time be required to give under subsection (1), and

(b) are specified in the notice.

(3) A person who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with a notice served on him under subsection (1) or (2) is guilty of an offence and liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine of an amount not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

(4) A person on whom a notice is served under subsection (1) and who knowingly makes a false or misleading statement in response to it is guilty of an offence and liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine of an amount not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or to both.