(1)  An authorised officer who enters a place under this Part may exercise any one or more of the following powers:

(a) investigate whether the provisions of this Act are being, or have been, complied with;

(b) examine and test any gas infrastructure, gas installation or gas appliance in the place to ascertain whether the infrastructure, installation or appliance is safe and complies with the requirements of this Act;

(c) investigate an accident suspected to involve gas;

(d) investigate a suspected interference with gas infrastructure or a gas installation;

(e) investigate a suspected theft or diversion of gas;

(f) search for, examine and copy, or take an extract from, a document or record of any kind as reasonably required for the purposes of the enforcement of this Act;

(g) take photographs or make films or other records of activities in the place and of any gas infrastructure, gas installation or gas appliance in the place;

(h) take possession of any thing that may be evidence of an offence against this Act.

(2)  If an authorised officer takes possession of an object that may be evidence of an offence –

(a) the authorised officer must give the occupier of the place a receipt for the thing; and

(b) the thing must be returned to its owner –

(i) if proceedings for an offence are not commenced within 6 months after the authorised officer takes possession of the thing, at the end of that period; or

(ii) if such proceedings are commenced within that period, on completion of the proceedings, unless the court, on application by the Director of Gas or the Director of Gas Safety, orders confiscation of the thing.

(3)  A court may order the confiscation of a thing of which an authorised officer has taken possession under subsection (1) if of the opinion that the thing has been used for the purpose of committing an offence or that there is some other proper reason for ordering its confiscation.

(4)  If the court orders the confiscation of a thing –

(a) the Director of Gas or the Director of Gas Safety may dispose of the thing; and

(b) the person from whom the thing is confiscated is not entitled to be compensated for its loss.