Section 144 Appointment and powers of inspectors

(1)

For the purposes of this Act, the Secretary of State may appoint such inspectors, and pay to them such salaries or remuneration, as he may determine with the consent of the Minister for the Civil Service.

(2)

An inspector appointed under this section shall, for the purposes of the execution of this Act, have the following powers—

(a)

to enter at all reasonable times any premises liable to inspection under this Act;

(b)

to make such examination and inquiry as may be necessary—

(i)

for ascertaining whether the provisions of this Act are being, or have been, complied with in any such premises, or

(ii)

for investigating the circumstances in which any injury or disease which has given or may give rise to a claim for industrial injuries benefit was or may have been received or contracted;

(c)

to examine, either alone or in the presence of any other person, as he thinks fit, in relation to any matters under this Act on which he may reasonably require information, every person whom he finds in any such premises or whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be or to have been a person liable to pay contributions under this Act, and to require every such person to be so examined;

(d)

to exercise such other powers as may be necessary for carrying this Act into effect.

(3)

The premises liable to inspection under this Act are any where an inspector has reasonable ground for supposing that—

(a)

any persons are employed ; or

(b)

there is being carried on any agency or other business for the introduction or supply to persons requiring them of persons available to do work or to perform services;

but do not include any private dwelling-house not used by, or by permission of, the occupier for the purposes of a trade or business.

(4)

Every inspector shall be furnished with a certificate of his appointment, and on applying for admission to any premises for the purposes of this Act shall, if so required, produce the certificate.

(5)

Where any premises are liable to be inspected by an inspector or officer appointed or employed by, or are under the control of, some other government department, the Secretary of State may make arrangements with that department for any of the powers or duties of inspectors under this Act to be carried out by an inspector or officer employed by that department; and, where such an arrangement is made, such inspectors or officers shall have all the powers of an inspector under this Act.

(6)

In this section and section 145 below " premises " includes any place ; and in subsection (2)(b) and (c) above the references to this Act include the former principal Act and the former Industrial Injuries Act.