The Marketing of Fruit Plant Material Regulations 2010

Powers of entry etc.

1.—(1) An inspector, on producing a duly authenticated authorisation if required, may at any reasonable time enter any premises of a supplier where the inspector reasonably suspects that any activity that is governed by these Regulations is being carried on for the purposes of ascertaining whether there is or has been any contravention of these Regulations.

(2) An inspector entering premises under sub-paragraph (1) may—

(a) be accompanied by—

(i) such other persons as the inspector considers necessary; and

(ii) any representative of the European Commission acting for the purpose of the enforcement of a European Union obligation;

(b) take on to those premises any equipment or materials that the inspector considers necessary for the enforcement of these Regulations;

(c) open any container;

(d) carry out any searches, inspections, measurements and tests;

(e) take samples;

(f) have access to, and inspect, any books, documents or records (in whatever form they are held) relating to these Regulations and remove them to enable them to be copied;

(g) photograph or copy anything whose production the inspector has power to require under paragraph (f);

(h) photograph anything which the inspector has reasonable cause to believe may be relevant in connection with the enforcement of these Regulations; and

(i) seize any computers and associated equipment for the purpose of copying documents provided that they are returned as soon as practicable.

(3) Any person who accompanies an inspector in accordance with this paragraph may perform any of the inspector’s functions but only under the supervision of that inspector.