{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/consumer-protection-act-1987/section-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/consumer-protection-act-1987/section-18.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1987/43",
  "legislation_title": "Consumer Protection Act 1987",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/consumer-protection-act-1987",
  "path": "section/18",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "18",
  "heading": "Power to obtain information.",
  "text": "(1) If the Secretary of State considers that, for the purpose of deciding whether—\n(a) to make, vary or revoke any safety regulations; or\n(b) to serve, vary or revoke a prohibition notice; or\n(c) to serve or revoke a notice to warn,\nhe 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.\n(2) A notice served on any person under this section may require that person—\n(a) to furnish to the Secretary of State, within a period specified in the notice, such information as is so specified;\n(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.\n(3) A person shall be guilty of an offence if he—\n(a) fails, without reasonable cause, to comply with a notice served on him under this section; or\n(b) in purporting to comply with a requirement which by virtue of paragraph (a) of subsection (2) above is contained in such a notice—\n(i) furnishes information which he knows is false in a material particular; or\n(ii) recklessly furnishes information which is false in a material particular.\n(4) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (3) above shall—\n(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\n(b) in the case of an offence under paragraph (b) of that subsection be liable—\n(i) on conviction on indictment, to a fine;\n(ii) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Ss. 14-18 amended (3.10.1994) by S.I. 1994/2328, reg. 11(b)S. 18 applied (with modifications) (15.5.2002) by S.I. 2002/1144, regs. 2(2), 16(1)-(3), Sch. 10 paras. 1, 3S. 18 applied (E.W.S.) (28.11.2003) by Fireworks Act 2003 (c. 22), ss. 2(7), 18 (with s. 2(8)); S.I. 2003/3084,{art. 2}, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (17.8.2015) by The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1553), reg. 1, Sch. 7 paras. 1(e), 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1105), reg. 1, Sch. 7 paras. 1(e), 2 (with reg. 88)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1091), reg. 1, Sch. 7 paras. 1, 2 (with regs. 74, 75(5))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C5",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1101), reg. 1, Sch. 3 paras. 1, 2 (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C6",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Simple Pressure Vessels (Safety) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1092), reg. 1, Sch. 5 paras. 1(e), 2 (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C7",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Lifts Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1093), reg. 1, Sch. 7 paras. 1(e), 2 (with regs. 3-5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C8",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (3.8.2017) by The Recreational Craft Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/737), reg. 1, Sch. 13 paras. 1(e), 2 (with reg. 89)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C9",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (26.12.2017) by The Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1206), reg. 1, Sch. 10 paras. 1, 2 (with regs. 3-5, 77)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C10",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (21.4.2018) by The Gas Appliances (Enforcement) and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/389), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with reg. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C11",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (21.4.2018) by The Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/390), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with reg. 2(1)-(3))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C12",
      "text": "S. 18 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (16.7.2021) by The Market Surveillance (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/858), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 paras. 1, 2 (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C13",
      "text": "S. 18(1)(2): certain functions made exercisable concurrently (29.7.2004) by The Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/2030), art. 4, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C14",
      "text": "Pt. II applied in part (with modifications) (20.5.2016) by The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/507), regs. 1(2), 53(3)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1987/43/section/18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:51:28.552463+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}