9(1)The [F1appropriate agency] may serve on any person appearing to it to be the occupier of any land a notice requiring him to furnish a return under sub-paragraph (2) below to the [F1appropriate agency] within twenty-eight days beginning with the date of service of the notice on him.E+W
(2)The return required of a person by a notice under sub-paragraph (1) above is a return, in writing and in such form as may be specified in the notice, containing such particulars as may reasonably be required for the purpose of enabling the [F1appropriate agency] to determine—
(a)how much (if any) of the land occupied by that person is chargeable land; and
(b)how much (if any) consists of commercial woodlands.
(3)If any person on whom notice has been served under sub-paragraph (1) above—
(a)fails without reasonable excuse to comply with the notice;
(b)in a return made in pursuance of such a notice, makes any statement which he knows to be false in a material particular; or
(c)in any such return recklessly makes any statement which is false in a material particular,
he shall be guilty of an offence
(4)A person guilty of an offence under sub-paragraph (3) above shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale; and a person convicted by virtue of paragraph (a) of that sub-paragraph shall be liable to a further conviction by virtue of that paragraph if, after conviction, he continues without reasonable excuse [F2to fail] to comply with the notice in question.
(5)This paragraph shall be without prejudice to the provisions of Part VIII of this Act.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Sch. 15 paras. 9-13 substituted (1.4.2013) by The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 311(c) (with Sch. 7)
F2Words in Sch. 15 para. 9(4) inserted (21.9.1995) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120(1), Sch. 22 para. 187(1) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/1983, art. 3