{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/freedom-of-information-act-2000/schedule-3/paragraph-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/freedom-of-information-act-2000/schedule-3/paragraph-1.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2000/36",
  "legislation_title": "Freedom of Information Act 2000",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/freedom-of-information-act-2000",
  "path": "schedule/3/paragraph/1",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "1",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "(1) If a circuit judge is satisfied by information on oath supplied by the chair of the Commission or another person authorised for the purpose by the Commission that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting—\n(a) that a public authority has failed or is failing to comply with—\n(i) any of the requirements of Part I of this Act,\n(ii) so much of a decision notice as requires steps to be taken, or\n(iii) an information notice or an enforcement notice, or\n(b) that an offence under section 77 has been or is being committed,\nand that evidence of such a failure to comply or of the commission of the offence is to be found on any premises specified in the information, he may, subject to paragraph 2, grant a warrant to the Commission .\n(2) A warrant issued under sub-paragraph (1) shall authorise any of the Commission’s officers or staff at any time within seven days of the date of the warrant—\n(a) to enter and search the premises,\n(b) to inspect and seize any documents or other material found there which may be such evidence as is mentioned in that sub-paragraph, and\n(c) to inspect, examine, operate and test any equipment found there in which information held by the public authority may be recorded.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 3 para. 1(1) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(a)(i)(aa); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in Sch. 3 para. 1(1) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(a)(i)(bb); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 3 para. 1(2) substituted (30.9.2026) by The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/386), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 12(28)(a)(ii); S.I. 2026/1015, reg. 2(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Sch. 3 para. 1: powers of seizure extended (1.4.2003) by 2001 c. 16, ss. 50, 52-54, 68, 138(2), Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 73; S.I. 2003/708, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Sch. 3 para. 1 wholly in force at 1.1.2005; Sch. 3 para. 1 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 87(3); Sch. 3 para. 1 in force for certain purposes at 30.11.2002 by S.I. 2002/2812, art. 2(d)(e); Sch. 3 para. 1 in force for certain further purposes at 1.1.2005 by S.I. 2004/1909, art. 2 and otherwise in force at 1.1.2005 by S.I. 2004/3122, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2003/39",
      "affecting_title": "Courts Act 2003"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/schedule/3/paragraph/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:20:36.241606+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."
}