Agriculture Act 1967

55Powers of entry and of obtaining information.

(1)A person duly authorised in writing by a Rural Development Board may, on producing if so required a duly authenticated document showing his authority, enter on any land in the Board's area for the purpose of determining whether, and in what way, any of the functions of the Board should be exercised in relation to the land.

The right of entry under this subsection may be exercised at any reasonable time, but a person shall not demand admission as of right to any land which is occupied unless at least forty-eight hours' notice, or in the case of land occupied for residential purposes at least seven days' notice, of the intended entry has been given to the

A person who wilfully obstructs any person acting in the exercise of his powers under this subsection shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds.

(2)A person leaving any land which he has entered by virtue of the foregoing subsection shall, if the land is unoccupied or the occupier is temporarily absent, leave it as effectively secured against trespassers as he found it.

(3)A Board may by notice served on the owner or occupier of any land in their area, require him to furnish them with such information as may be specified in the notice with regard to the land as the Board may reasonably require for the discharge of such of their functions in relation to the land as may be specified in the notice.

A person who fails without reasonable cause, or neglects, to furnish to the Board within three months after service of the notice the information specified in the notice shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.

(4)Information obtained under this section shall not be disclosed except—

(a)with the consent of the person by whom the information was furnished, or

(b)to a member, officer or servant of the Board or to any person exercising functions on behalf of the Board, or

(c)to any Minister or to an officer or servant or other person appointed by or exercising functions on behalf of any Minister, or

(d)for the purpose of any proceedings pursuant to this Part of this Act, or of any criminal proceedings which may be taken whether pursuant to this Act or otherwise, or for the purpose of a report of any such proceedings,

and a person who discloses information in contravention of this subsection shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or both, or on conviction on indictment to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both.