# Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, Section 136: Power of ministers etc to take over enforcement functions

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.
Status: prospective

(1) The appropriate national authority may direct that, in relation to cases of a particular description or in a particular case, the duty imposed on an enforcement authority by section 135 is to be discharged by the appropriate national authority and not by the enforcement authority.
(2) In subsection (1) “appropriate national authority”—
(a) in relation to the giving of a direction to an enforcement authority in England, means the Secretary of State,
(b) in relation to the giving of a direction to an enforcement authority in Wales, means the Welsh Ministers,
(c) in relation to the giving of a direction to an enforcement authority in Scotland, means the Scottish Ministers, and
(d) in relation to the giving of a direction to an enforcement authority in Northern Ireland, means the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/18/section/136 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/tobacco-and-vapes-act-2026/section-136
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.