Part 1Legal aid

Supplementary

36Misrepresentation

1

This section applies where a person—

a

intentionally fails to comply with a requirement imposed by or under this Part to provide documents or information, or

b

in providing documents or information in accordance with such a requirement, makes a statement or representation knowing or believing it to be false.

2

The person is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.

3

Proceedings in respect of an offence under this section may (despite anything in the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980) be brought at any time within the period of 6 months beginning with the date on which evidence sufficient in the opinion of the prosecutor to justify a prosecution comes to the prosecutor's knowledge.

4

Subsection (3) does not authorise the commencement of proceedings for an offence more than 2 years after the date on which the offence was committed.

5

F1The county court is to have jurisdiction to hear and determine an action brought by the Lord Chancellor to recover loss sustained by reason of—

a

the failure by a person to comply with a requirement imposed by or under this Part to provide documents or information, or

b

a false statement or false representation made by a person in providing documents or information in accordance with such a requirement.