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Health Bill

Amendment No. 48 would seriously limit the ability of an enforcement officer to conduct a proper investigation into a potential offence under the Bill. It would prevent enforcement officers from requiring the production of any substance or product so that they can inspect it and take and retain samples of or extracts from it. Alternatively, if there is a dispute about whether a sign conforms with prescribed requirements, under these powers an enforcement officer may take possession of the sign as evidence. I am advised that sub-paragraphs 2(c) and 2(d) in Schedule 2 are, in fact, simpler and shorter than similar powers in other legislation, such as Section 29 of the Food Safety Act 1990. For these reasons, we believe that those provisions are certainly within the scope of the Bill and are necessary to enable enforcement officers to do their jobs. We cannot support the amendment.