The Bovine Hides Regulations 1997

Powers of entry and inspection

8.—(1) An authorised officer shall, on producing, if required to do so, some duly authenticated document showing his authority, have the right at all reasonable hours to enter any land or premises (excluding premises used only as a dwelling) for the purposes of ascertaining whether there is or has been on the land or premises any contravention of these Regulations; and in this regulation “premises” includes any place, installation, vehicle, ship, vessel, boat, craft, hovercraft or aircraft.

(2) An authorised officer entering upon any place in accordance with paragraph (1) above may take with him such other persons acting under his instructions as he considers necessary.

(3) An authorised officer may, for the purpose described in paragraph (1) above—

(a) require a registered hide dealer, a registered tannery controller, the operator of a scheme slaughterhouse, approved rendering plant or an approved incinerator and the owner or occupier of any other place where the hides of bovine animals are kept to produce for inspection any bill, account, record or other document in his possession or under his control relating to the hides, the animals from which they were derived and any controlled waste and, where any such document is kept by means of a computer, require him to afford the authorised officer access to, and all necessary means to inspect and check the operation of, any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been in use in connection with that document;

(b) make copies of or take copies from any such document so produced; and

(c) take samples (and, if necessary, send the samples for laboratory testing) from any product or material.