The Smoke Control Areas (Sale or Delivery of Unauthorised Fuel) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998

Powers of entry

6.—(1) An authorised officer may, for the purpose of determining whether an offence has been committed under these Regulations, at any reasonable time and on production, if so required, of his authority—

(a) enter any trade premises on which he has reasonable cause to believe that it is necessary for him to enter;

(b) inspect any solid fuel which has been sold or delivered to such premises in a smoke control area;

(c) take a sample of such fuel from such premises;

(d) submit the sample referred to in sub-paragraph (c) for testing to a laboratory approved by the Department, for the purpose of determining whether or not it is authorised fuel; and

(e) request and inspect any relevant information and, where any such information is kept by means of a computer—

(i) have access to, and inspect and check the operation of, any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been in use in connection with the information; and

(ii) require any person having charge of, or otherwise concerned with the operation of, the computer, associated apparatus, or material to afford him such assistance as he may reasonably require.

(2) An authorised officer exercising any power conferred by paragraph (1)(e) may—

(i) seize and detain any records which he has reason to believe may be required as evidence in proceedings under any of the provisions of these Regulations; and

(ii) where such records are kept by means of a computer, require them to be produced in a form in which they may be taken away.