Policing and Crime Act 2017

95Interpretation

(1)In this Chapter—

• “designated NCA officer” means a National Crime Agency officer who is either or both of the following—

  (a)

  an officer designated under section 10 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 as having the powers and privileges of a constable;

  (b)

  an officer designated under that section as having the powers of a general customs official;

• “England and Wales waters” means the sea and other waters within the seaward limits of the territorial sea adjacent to England and Wales;

• “foreign ship” means a ship which—

  (a)

  is registered in a State other than the United Kingdom, or

  (b)

  is not so registered but is entitled to fly the flag of a State other than the United Kingdom;

• “foreign waters” means the sea and other waters within the seaward limits of the territorial sea adjacent to any relevant territory or State other than the United Kingdom;

• “home state”, in relation to a foreign ship, means—

  (a)

  the State in which the ship is registered, or

  (b)

  the State whose flag the ship is otherwise entitled to fly;

• “international waters” means waters beyond the territorial sea of the United Kingdom or of any other State or relevant territory;

• “items subject to legal privilege” has the same meaning as in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (see section 10 of that Act);

• “law enforcement officer” has the meaning given by section 84(3);

• “maritime enforcement powers” has the meaning given by section 84(2);

• “relevant territory” means—

  (a)

  the Isle of Man;

  (b)

  any of the Channel Islands;

  (c)

  a British overseas territory;

• “Scotland waters” means the sea and other waters within the seaward limits of the territorial sea adjacent to Scotland;

• “ship” includes every description of vessel (including a hovercraft) used in navigation;

• “ship without nationality” means a ship which—

  (a)

  is not registered in, or otherwise entitled to fly the flag of, any State or relevant territory, or

  (b)

  sails under the flags of two or more States or relevant territories, or under the flags of a State and relevant territory, using them according to convenience;

• “United Kingdom ship” means a ship which—

  (a)

  is registered under Part 2 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995,

  (b)

  is a Government ship within the meaning of that Act,

  (c)

  is not registered in any State or relevant territory but is wholly owned by persons each of whom has a United Kingdom connection, or

  (d)

  is registered under an Order in Council under section 1 of the Hovercraft Act 1968.

(2)For the purposes of paragraph (c) of the definition of “United Kingdom ship” in subsection (1), a person has a “United Kingdom connection” if the person is—

(a)a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen or a British Overseas citizen,

(b)an individual who is habitually resident in the United Kingdom, or

(c)a body corporate which is established under the law of a part of the United Kingdom and has its principal place of business in the United Kingdom.

(3)References in this Chapter to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea include references to any modifications of that Convention agreed after the passing of this Act that have entered into force in relation to the United Kingdom.