263A.—(1) The Minister may cancel a public services card issued to a person under section 263 if—

(a) the Minister becomes aware of a fact or a circumstance, whether occurring before or after the issue of the public services card, that would have required or permitted him or her to refuse to issue the public services card under section 263 to the person had the Minister been aware of the fact or the circumstance before the public services card was issued,

(b) the Minister is notified that the public services card is, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, in the possession or control of another person, or

(c) the Minister is notified by the person, or by another person who has been appointed to act on behalf of that person in accordance with regulations made under section 244(1)(b), that the public services card has been lost or stolen.

(2) Where a public services card issued to a person is cancelled under subsection (1), the Minister shall inform the person by notice in writing of the cancellation and the grounds for it.

(3) Where a public services card issued to a person is cancelled under subsection (1), the person shall, if he or she is in possession or control of the public services card, surrender it as soon as practicable to the Minister.

(4) Where a public services card is cancelled under subsection (1), the Minister may, if appropriate, require by notice in writing the person who is in possession or control of the public services card to surrender it as soon as practicable to the Minister.

(5) A person who, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, has a public services card other than a public services card that was issued to him or her in his or her possession or control shall, as soon as practicable, surrender it to the Minister.

(6) A person who is required by subsection (3), (4) or (5) to surrender a public services card to the Minister, but without reasonable excuse, does not do so in accordance with the requirement, is guilty of an offence.]

F1565[(7) Where a public services card issued to a person is presented to a payment service provider for the purposes of obtaining payment of benefit, the payment service provider may withhold payment, confiscate the card and surrender it as soon as practicable to the Minister if—

(a) the payment service provider becomes aware of a fact or circumstance, whether occurring before or after the issue of the public services card, that would have required or permitted the Minister to refuse to issue the public services card under section 263 to the person had the Minister been aware of the fact or the circumstance before the public services card was issued, or

(b) the payment service provider is notified or becomes aware that the public services card is, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, in the possession or control of a person other than the person to whom it is allocated and issued under section 263.]