Banking Act 2009

194 Inspection: warrant

(1) A justice of the peace may on the application of an inspector issue a warrant entitling an inspector or a constable to enter premises if—

(a) any part of the management or operation of a recognised inter-bank payment system is conducted on the premises (whether by an operator of the system or by someone providing services used by an operator), and

(b) any of the following conditions is satisfied.

(2) Condition 1 is that—

(a) a requirement under section 204 in connection with the payment system has not been complied with, and

(b) there is reason to believe that information relevant to the requirement is on the premises.

(3) Condition 2 is that there is reason to suspect that if a requirement under section 204 were imposed in connection with the payment system in respect of information on the premises—

(a) the requirement would not be complied with, and

(b) the information would be destroyed or otherwise tampered with.

(4) Condition 3 is that an inspector—

(a) gave reasonable notice of a wish to enter the premises, and

(b) was refused entry.

(5) Condition 4 is that a person occupying or managing the premises has failed to co-operate with an inspector.

(6) A warrant—

(a) permits an inspector or a constable to enter the premises,

(b) permits an inspector or a constable to search the premises and copy or take possession of information or documents, and

(c) permits a constable to use reasonable force.

(7) Sections 15(5) to (8) and 16 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (warrants: procedure) apply to warrants under this section.

(8) In the application of this section to Scotland—

(a) the reference to a justice of the peace includes a reference to a sheriff, and

(b) ignore subsection (7).

(9) In the application of this section to Northern Ireland—

(a) the reference to a justice of the peace is a reference to a lay magistrate, and

(b) the reference to sections 15(5) to (8) and 16 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 is a reference to the equivalent provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989.