Supplementary

Offences
35
1
A person is guilty of an offence if he fails without reasonable excuse to do anything that he is required to do by a notice under section 21.
2
A person is guilty of an offence if during the course of an inquiry he does anything that is intended to have the effect of—
a
distorting or otherwise altering any evidence, document or other thing that is given, produced or provided to the inquiry panel, or
b
preventing any evidence, document or other thing from being given, produced or provided to the inquiry panel,
or anything that he knows or believes is likely to have that effect.
3
A person is guilty of an offence if during the course of an inquiry—
a
he intentionally suppresses or conceals a document that is, and that he knows or believes to be, a relevant document, or
b
he intentionally alters or destroys any such document.
For the purposes of this subsection a document is a “relevant document” if it is likely that the inquiry panel would (if aware of its existence) wish to be provided with it.
4
A person does not commit an offence under subsection (2) or (3) by doing anything that he is authorised or required to do—
a
by the inquiry panel, or
b
by virtue of section 22 or any privilege that applies.
5
Proceedings in England and Wales or in Northern Ireland for an offence under subsection (1) may be instituted only by the chairman.
6
Proceedings for an offence under subsection (2) or (3) may be instituted—
a
in England and Wales, only by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions;
b
in Northern Ireland, only by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.
7
A person who is guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level three on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the relevant maximum, or to both.
8
“The relevant maximum” is—
a
in England and Wales, 51 weeks;
b
in Scotland and Northern Ireland, six months.