Social Welfare Act, 1952

Inspectors.

49.—(1) The Minister may, with the sanction of the Minister for Finance, appoint such and so many persons as he thinks proper to be inspectors for the purposes of this Act.

(2) An inspector shall, for the purposes of the execution of this Act, have power to do all or any of the following things:—

(a) to enter at all reasonable times any premises or place liable to inspection under this section;

(b) to make such examination and inquiry as may be necessary for ascertaining whether the provisions of this Act are being or have been complied with in any such premises or place;

(c) to examine, either alone or in the presence of any other person, as he thinks fit, with respect to any matters under this Act on which he may reasonably require information, every person whom he finds in any such premises or place, or whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be or to have been an insured person, and to require every such person to be so examined and to sign a declaration of the truth of the matters in respect of which he is so examined;

(d) to exercise such other powers as may be necessary for carrying this Act into effect.

(3) The occupier of any premises or place liable to inspection under this section, and any person who is or has been employing any person in insurable employment, and the servants and agents of any such occupier or other person, and any insured person, claimant for benefit or person in respect of whom benefit is claimed, shall furnish to an inspector all such information and produce for inspection all such registers, cards, wages sheets, records of wages and other documents as the inspector may reasonably require for the purpose of ascertaining whether contributions are or have been payable, or have been duly paid in respect of any person, or whether benefit is or was payable to or in respect of any person.

(4) If any person—

(a) wilfully delays or obstructs an inspector in the exercise of any power under this section, or

(b) refuses or neglects to answer any question or to furnish any information or to produce any document when required so to do under this section, or

(c) conceals or prevents or attempts to conceal or prevent any person from appearing before or being examined by a person appointed under this section,

he shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding ten pounds, but no one shall be required under this section to answer any questions or to give any evidence tending to incriminate himself.

(5) Every inspector shall be furnished with a certificate of his appointment, and on applying for admission to any premises or place for the purposes of this Act shall, if so required, produce the said certificate.

(6) The premises and places liable to inspection under this section are any premises or places where an inspector has reasonable grounds for believing that any persons are or have been employed in insurable employment.

(7) Where any premises or place are or is liable to be inspected by an inspector or officer appointed or employed by, or are or is under the control of, some other Minister, the Minister may make arrangements with that other Minister for any of the powers or duties of inspectors appointed under this section being carried out by an inspector or officer employed by that other Minister, and, where such an arrangement is made, such inspectors or officers shall have all the powers of an inspector appointed under this section.