UK Offence Report

Obstruction of an inspector

regulation 14 of The Nagoya Protocol (Compliance) Regulations 2015

This offence was read from the text as made, and no revised version was available, so a later revocation could not be ruled out. Check the current text at legislation.gov.uk.

What the provision says

14 Where an inspector exercises

a power under these Regulations, it is an offence for any person to—

a intentionally obstruct the inspector;

b without reasonable excuse, fail to give the inspector any information or assistance that the inspector may reasonably require;

c knowingly give false or misleading information to the inspector;

d without reasonable excuse, fail to produce

a record or document when reasonably required to do so by the inspector.

Text as made, from legislation.gov.uk. © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. This is the text as originally made; later amendments are not shown here.

Who it binds, and what has to be proved

Binds
a person
Conduct
obstructing an official exercising a power
Fault element
Requires proof of a state of mind
Burden of proof
An element of the offence, for the prosecution to prove

The prosecution must prove both that the conduct happened and that it was done with the state of mind the provision names (intentionally, knowingly).

“Without reasonable excuse” here is an element of the offence rather than a defence, so its absence is for the prosecution to prove (R v Charles [2009] EWCA Crim 1570).

Classifier’s reasoning: mens rea word in the offence-creating words: knowingly, intentionally; qualified by reasonable excuse (an element; prosecution disproves once raised).

The defence, as drafted

or any person to— a intentionally obstruct the inspector; b without reasonable excuse, fail to give the inspector any information or assistance that the inspector may reasonably require; c knowingly give false or misleading information to the inspector; d without reasonable excuse, fail to produce a record or document when reasonably required

What would breach regulation 14?

These are illustrations, not law. They are generated from the provision’s own words to show the shape of the offence. Whether any particular conduct is caught depends on the full text, on any amendment since, and on the facts.

  1. Refusing to let an inspector onto premises they are entitled to enter under the Nagoya Protocol (Compliance) Regulations 2015.
  2. Sending an official away, or telling staff to say nothing, where the power being exercised does not depend on anyone's consent.
  3. Physically blocking an examination, or removing something an officer has said they intend to inspect.

Penalty

Mode of trial
Not determined
Maximum fine
Not determined
Maximum prison (summary)
Not determined

no penalty is stated in this instrument; it may be in the enabling Act, or in a general penalties provision this pass did not connect to the offence.

No penalty was determined from this instrument. It may be in the enabling Act, or in a general penalties provision this pass did not connect to the offence. Absence of a figure here is not evidence that the offence carries no penalty.

Sentencing

Offences of this kind are usually sentenced under the guidelines below. This is a mapping by subject, not a finding about this provision, and the links go to a search of the Sentencing Council’s own site.

Prosecution figures

No published per-offence figure was found for this provision, and it could not be matched to a Ministry of Justice offence code. Offences created by statutory instrument very largely do not have one. Absence of a figure is not evidence that the offence is unused.

Status and lifecycle

Current status
Status not determined
Made
17 March 2015
In force from
Not determined
Extent
Not stated

How this was established: read from the text as made; no revised version available, so later revocation could not be ruled out.

What the instrument is for

(This note is not part of the Regulations) — the explanatory note published with the instrument, © Crown copyright.

These Regulations implement, within the United Kingdom, compliance measures for users of genetic resources or traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources resulting from the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation to the Convention on Biological Diversity (“the Protocol”). The Protocol aims to promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity by ensuring the benefits from the use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources are shared fairly. Regulation (EU) No 511/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on compliance measures for users from the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation in the Union (OJ No L 150, 20.5.2014, p 59) (“the EU Regulation”) requires users to exercise due diligence that they only utilise genetic resources or traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources that have been accessed in accordance with the Protocol. Users are also required to make a declaration confirming due diligence at the final stage of development of a product. Part 2 deals with the allocation of functions to the Secretary of State as competent authority for the EU Regulation and as member State under Articles 5, 7(1) and 13 of the EU Regulation. Regulation 6 provides that the Secretary of State must take any other administrative or policy measures that are necessary to provide that genetic resources or traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources are utilised in accordance with the Protocol. Part 3 and the Schedule enable the Secretary of State to impose civil sanctions. Compliance with requirements to exercise due diligence under, or to fail to make a declaration of due diligence in accordance with, the EU Regulation is made subject to civil sanctions, but will not directly be made an offence. Variable monetary penalties may be imposed in relation to offences under the Regulations. Part 4 deals with enforcement. Regulations 9, 10 and 11 confer entry, inspection and seizure powers on inspectors. Regulation 12 makes provision for documents which are the subject of legal professional privilege or its equivalent in Scotland. Part 5 sets out offences and penalties. Regulation 13 provides for offences for failure to comply with compliance or stop notices, as well as requirements to keep information under the EU Regulation. Regulation 14 makes it an offence to obstruct an inspector. Part 6 requires the Secretary of State to review the operation and effect of these Regulations and publish a report within five years of the enforcement and penalty provisions coming into force. An impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations as no significant impact on the costs of business or the voluntary sector is foreseen as a result of them. The Explanatory Memorandum is published alongside the instrument on www.legislation.gov.uk.

Read the full note and every offence in this instrument

What Parliament said

Mentions of this instrument in Hansard. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Other offences in the same instrument

How this was identified as an offence

Everything above rests on the judgement that this provision creates a criminal offence, rather than mentioning one. That judgement is made by rule, from the words of the provision, and this is the rule that made it — with a confidence of 0.90.

Basis
the provision says “it is an offence”; the provision says an offence is committed “if” something happens
Confidence
0.90 of 1.00

A provision that states a penalty for an offence created elsewhere can read very like one that creates an offence, and the rules can mistake the one for the other. If the text quoted above sets a penalty for something made an offence by another provision, treat the classification on this page with that in mind, and read the instrument.

Check the source