Regulation 15 Ministerial certificates
A Minister of the Crown may certify that a refusal to disclose information under regulation 12(1) is because the disclosure—
would adversely affect national security; and
would not be in the public interest under regulation 12(1)(b).
For the purposes of paragraph (1)—
a Minister of the Crown may designate a person to certify the matters in that paragraph on his behalf; and
a refusal to disclose information under regulation 12(1) includes a response under regulation 12(6).
A certificate issued in accordance with paragraph (1)—
shall be conclusive evidence of the matters in that paragraph; and
may identify the information to which it relates in general terms.
A document purporting to be a certificate under paragraph (1) shall be received in evidence and deemed to be such a certificate unless the contrary is proved.
A document which purports to be certified by or on behalf of a Minister of the Crown as a true copy of a certificate issued by that Minister under paragraph (1) shall in any legal proceedings be evidence (or, in Scotland, sufficient evidence) of that certificate.
In paragraphs (1), (2) and (5), a “Minister of the Crown” has the same meaning as in section 25(3) of the Act.