18Power to obtain information
(1)If the Secretary of State considers that, for the purpose of deciding whether—
(a)to make, vary or revoke any safety regulations; or
(b)to serve, vary or revoke a prohibition notice; or
(c)to serve or revoke a notice to warn,
he requires information which another person is likely to be able to furnish, the Secretary of State may serve on the other person a notice under this section.
(2)A notice served on any person under this section may require that person—
(a)to furnish to the Secretary of State, within a period specified in the notice, such information as is so specified;
(b)to produce such records as are specified in the notice at a time and-place so specified and to permit a person appointed by the Secretary of State for the purpose to take copies of the records at that time and place.
(3)A person shall be guilty of an offence if he—
(a)fails, without reasonable cause, to comply with a notice served on him under this section; or
(b)in purporting to comply with a requirement which by virtue of paragraph (a) of subsection (2) above is contained in such a notice—
(i)furnishes information which he knows is false in a material particular; or
(ii)recklessly furnishes information which is false in a material particular.
(4)A person guilty of an offence under subsection (3) above shall—
(a)in the case of an offence under paragraph (a) of that subsection, be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale; and
(b)in the case of an offence under paragraph (b) of that subsection be liable—
(i)on conviction on indictment, to a fine;
(ii)on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.