If any person, in giving any information or making any application for the purposes of any provision of this Part, or of any regulation made under any provision of this Part, makes any statement which he knows to be false in a material particular, or recklessly makes any statement which is false in a material particular, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable—
on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;
on conviction on indictment, to a fine.
Any person who with intent to deceive—
impersonates an officer of a gas transporter, gas supplier or gas shipper for the purpose of obtaining entry to any premises; or
for that purpose makes any statement or does any act calculated falsely to suggest that he is an officer, or an authorised officer, of such a transporter, supplier or shipper,
shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.
Proceedings for an offence under subsection (1) above shall not in England and Wales be instituted except by or with the consent of the Secretary of State or the Director of Public Prosecutions.