(1)    For subsection (1) of section 118 of the Administration Act (evidence of non-payment) there shall be substituted the following subsections—

“(1)    A certificate of an authorised officer that any amount by way of contributions, or by way of interest or penalty in respect of contributions, which a person is liable to pay to the Secretary of State for any period has not been paid—

(a)    to the officer; or

(b)    to the best of his knowledge and belief, to any other person to whom it might lawfully be paid,

shall until the contrary is proved be sufficient evidence in any proceedings before any court that the sum mentioned in the certificate is unpaid and due.

(1A)    Subsection (2) below applies with respect to any period during which, under regulations made by virtue of paragraph 6(1) of Schedule 1 to the Contributions and Benefits Act (deduction with PAYE), contributions fall to be paid in like manner as income tax.”

(2)    In subsection (3) of that section, after the words “such a certificate”, in the first place where they occur, there shall be inserted the words “as is mentioned in subsection (1) or (2) above”.

(3)    In subsection (4) of that section, the words “for a particular contribution card or”, and the words “the card in question or”, shall cease to have effect.

(4)    After subsection (6) of that section there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(7)    In this section “authorised officer” means an officer of the Secretary of State authorised by him for the purposes of this section.”