Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Powers of authorised persons

10.—(1) An authorised person may at all reasonable times, on producing, if so required, some duly authenticated document showing his authority, enter on any land, other than land used solely for the purpose of a dwelling-house –

(a) to which a claim or an undertaking relates, or

(b) on which he has reasonable grounds to believe that documents relating to a claim or an undertaking are being kept,

for any of the purposes mentioned in paragraph (2).

(2) The purposes referred to in paragraph (1) are –

(a) inspecting the land to which the claim or undertaking relates;

(b) verifying the accuracy of any information provided by a claimant or a beneficiary relating to a claim or an undertaking; and

(c) determining whether or not a beneficiary has complied with an undertaking.

(3) An authorised person who has entered any land under paragraph (1) may –

(a) inspect the land and any document, record or equipment on it which he reasonably believes relates to a claim or an undertaking;

(b) require the claimant or beneficiary, or any employee, servant or agent of such claimant or beneficiary, to produce, or secure the production of, any document or supply any additional information in his possession or under his control relating to the claim or undertaking, as the case may be;

(c) where any information referred to in sub-paragraph (b) is kept by means of a computer, have access to any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been used for storing that information and require that information to be reproduced in a form in which it is legible and can be taken away;

(d) require copies of or extracts from any such document or other record referred to in sub-paragraph (a) or (b) to be produced;

(e) retain a copy of any document produced to him;

(f) seize and retain any document or other record which he reasonably believes may be required as evidence in proceedings under these Regulations; and

(g) in so far as may be necessary for the purposes of paragraph (2)(b) or (c), inspect and count livestock on the land and may, for this purpose, require the claimant or beneficiary, or any employee, servant or agent of such beneficiary, to arrange for the collection, penning and securing of such livestock.

(4) A claimant or beneficiary and any employee, servant or agent of such claimant or beneficiary shall give an authorised person all reasonable assistance in relation to the exercise of his powers under paragraphs (1) and (3).

(5) An authorised person entering any land under paragraph (1) may be accompanied by –

(a) any official of the Commission, and

(b) such other persons as he considers necessary,

and paragraphs (3) and (4) shall apply in relation to any person referred to in sub-paragraph (b), when acting under the instructions of an authorised person, as if he were an authorised person.