Section 174 Certifying of premises on grounds of national security

A Minister of the Crown may issue a certificate under this section in respect of any premises, if he considers that it is appropriate to do so for the purposes of safeguarding national security.

A certificate under this section may identify the premises in question by means of a general description.

A document purporting to be a certificate under this section is to be received in evidence and treated as being a certificate under this section 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 given by a Minister of the Crown under this section is evidence of that certificate.

A Minister of the Crown may cancel a certificate issued by him, or any other Minister of the Crown, under this section.

The powers conferred by this section on a Minister of the Crown may be exercised only by a Minister who is a member of the Cabinet or by the Attorney General.

In this section “Minister of the Crown” has the meaning given by the Ministers of the Crown Act 1975 (c. 26).