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SCOTTISH STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2006 No. 196

ANIMALS

The Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Wild Birds) (Scotland) Order 2006

  Made 5th April 2006 
  Coming into force 5th April 2006 

The Scottish Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1, 7(1), 8(1), and 87(5)(a) of the Animal Health Act 1981[1], makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and extent
     1.

    (1) This Order may be cited as the Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Wild Birds) (Scotland) Order 2006 and shall come into force at midnight on 5th April 2006.

    (2) This Order extends to Scotland only.

Interpretation
    
2. In this Order—



PART 1

Introduction

Extension of definition of "poultry"
     3. For the purposes of the Act in its application to avian influenza and to this Order, the definition of "poultry" in section 87(4) of the Act is extended to comprise all birds.

Declarations and notices
    
4.

    (1) Declarations under this Order—

    (2) Notices issued under this Order—

Licences
    
5.

    (1) Before granting a licence under this Order for the movement of any bird or poultry product, the Scottish Ministers must—

    (2) Licences granted under this Order—

    (3) Except where otherwise directed by the Scottish Ministers, a licence granted—

for the same purpose as a licence which may be granted under this Order is valid for that purpose in Scotland and its conditions apply as if it was a licence granted under this Order.

Publication of declarations, licences and notices
    
6.

    (1) The Scottish Ministers must take such steps as they consider fit to ensure that declarations, licences and notices are brought to the attention of those who may be affected by them as soon as is reasonably practicable.

    (2) The Scottish Ministers must, in particular, ensure that the extent of any wild bird protection zone and wild bird surveillance zone declared under this Order, the nature of the restrictions and requirements applicable within it and the dates of its declaration and withdrawal are publicised.

Production of licences
    
7.

    (1) A person moving anything under the authority of a specific licence granted under this Order must—

    (2) A person moving anything under the authority of a general licence granted under this Order must—



PART 2

Confirmation or suspicion of H5N1

Confirmation or suspicion of H5N1 in wild birds
    
8.

    (1) This article applies if the Chief Veterinary Officer (Scotland) advises the Scottish Ministers that—

    (2) If the wild bird or carcase was found in Scotland, the Scottish Ministers must declare an area to be a wild bird protection zone and an area to be a wild bird surveillance zone.

    (3) If the wild bird or carcase was found in England or Wales—

    (4) An area shall remain a wild bird protection zone until—

    (5) An area shall remain a wild bird surveillance zone until the Scottish Ministers revoke the declaration.

Extent of wild bird protection and surveillance zones
    
9.

    (1) Subject to this article, a wild bird protection zone or a wild bird surveillance zone shall be of such size as the Scottish Ministers consider fit to prevent the spread of avian influenza.

    (2) A wild bird protection zone must be centred on the place where the wild bird or carcase was found and its boundaries must be at least three kilometres from that place.

    (3) A wild bird surveillance zone must be centred on the place where the wild bird or carcase was found and its boundaries must be at least ten kilometres from that place.

    (4) The Scottish Ministers must take into account the following factors in deciding the extent of any wild bird protection zone or wild bird surveillance zone—

Measures applicable in wild bird protection zones and surveillance zones
    
10.

    (1) The measures in Schedule 1 apply in respect of a wild bird protection zone.

    (2) The measures in Schedule 2 apply in respect of a wild bird surveillance zone.

    (3) The measures in Schedule 3 apply in respect of a wild bird protection zone and a wild bird surveillance zone.

Additional measures
    
11.

    (1) The Scottish Ministers may, in declaration of a wild bird protection zone or a wild bird surveillance zone, impose additional measures if they consider that these are necessary to reduce the risk of the spread of avian influenza, including measures to—

    (2) The Scottish MinistersŐ powers under paragraph (1) include powers to—

    (3) The power to prohibit or restrict movement under paragraph (2)(h) applies only in relation to a wild bird protection zone and does not include a power to prohibit or restrict movement onto premises by—

    (4) An inspector must cause a notice of a prohibition declared in accordance with paragraph (2)(h) ("a prohibition notice") to be displayed at every entrance to the prohibited place.

Duty to inspect commercial premises
    
12.

    (1) The Scottish Ministers must ensure that a veterinary inquiry or veterinary surveillance is started as soon as possible at every commercial premises in a wild bird protection zone.

    (2) Every veterinary inspector carrying out such an inquiry or surveillance must—

    (3) In this article "commercial premises" means premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept for commercial purposes and does not include premises where all poultry and their eggs are kept by their owners for their own consumption or use or, in the case of poultry, as pets.

Maintenance of measures
    
13.

    (1) If the Chief Veterinary Officer (Scotland) advises the Scottish Ministers that avian influenza of sub-type H5 and neuraminidase N1 is present in the wild bird or carcase referred to in article 8(1)(a) the Scottish Ministers must not—

    (2) If the Chief Veterinary Officer (Scotland) advises the Scottish Ministers that in the opinion of the Chief Veterinary Officer (Scotland) avian influenza of sub-type H5 and neuraminidase N1 is not present in the wild bird or carcase referred to in article 8(1)(a), the Scottish Ministers must revoke any declaration made under article 8 without delay.

Treatment against avian influenza
    
14. Where a movement of controlled meat out of the wild bird protection zone is permitted by paragraph 5(1)(c) of Part 3 of Schedule 1, the occupier of the establishment to which it is moved must ensure that it is subjected to a treatment against avian influenza referred to in paragraph 5(2) of that Schedule.

Restriction on movement on poultry
    
15.

    (1) If a veterinary inspector, or an inspector acting at the direction of a veterinary inspector, grants a licence for—

the occupier of premises to which those poultry or day-old chicks are moved must ensure that neither they nor any other poultry are moved off the premises for 21 days from the date of their arrival.

Slaughter of poultry
    
16. The occupier of a slaughterhouse to which poultry are moved in accordance with—

must ensure that the poultry are slaughtered without delay.



PART 3

Miscellaneous

Powers of a veterinary inspector to impose biosecurity measures
    
17.

    (1) A veterinary inspector may, if the inspector considers it necessary to prevent the spread of avian influenza, require—

    (2) A notice served under this article may contain such directions and conditions as the veterinary inspector consider necessary to prevent the spread of avian influenza.

Powers of entry for enforcement
    
18.

    (1) An inspector who enters any vehicle, land, building or other place in exercise of the inspector's power under section 64 of the Act may take with them such person or thing as the inspector considers necessary for the enforcement of this Order.

    (2) The occupier of the premises under investigation must provide such assistance or information as the veterinary inspector may reasonably require.

Powers of inspectors in case of default
    
19.

    (1) Where a person fails to comply with a requirement imposed by or under this Order an inspector may take any steps that they consider necessary to ensure the requirement is met.

    (2) In taking steps under paragraph (1) an inspector may seize and detain any bird moved, kept or otherwise dealt with in contravention of a restriction or requirement imposed by or under this Order.

    (3) The person in default shall reimburse any reasonable expenses incurred by the Scottish Ministers or the local authority in taking such steps and any such debt is recoverable summarily.

Cost of compliance
    
20. The costs incurred by any person in taking any action required by, or of refraining from taking action prohibited by, this Order (or of any declaration, licence or notice under it) must be met by that person unless the Scottish Ministers otherwise direct in writing.

Reasonable assistance
    
21. Any person required to give reasonable assistance or information to a person acting under this Order shall, unless that person has reasonable cause, do so without delay.

False information
    
22. No person shall furnish information which that person knows to be false or misleading to a person acting under this Order.

Offences by bodies corporate
    
23.

    (1) If an offence under this Order committed by a body corporate is shown—

    (2) If the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, paragraph (1) applies in relation to the acts and defaults of a member in connection with his functions of management as if the member were a director of the body.

    (3) "Officer", in relation to a body corporate, means a director, member of the committee of management, chief executive, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body, or a person purporting to act in any such capacity.

    (4) "Body corporate" includes a partnership in Scotland and, in relation to such a partnership, a reference to an officer of a body corporate is a reference to a partner.

Offences: no knowledge of restriction or requirement
    
24. No person shall be guilty of failing to comply with a restriction or requirement which applies because of the declaration of—

if that person shows to the court's satisfaction that they did not know of that restriction or requirement and that they could not with reasonable diligence have obtained knowledge of it.

Enforcement
    
25.

    (1) The local authority must, subject to paragraph (2), enforce this Order.

    (2) The Scottish Ministers may direct, in relation to cases of a particular description or any particular case, that an enforcement duty imposed on a local authority under this Order must be discharged by the Scottish Ministers and not by the local authority.


IAN ANDERSON
A member of the staff of the Scottish Ministers

Pentland House, Edinburgh
5th April 2006



SCHEDULE 1

Measures applicable in respect of a wild bird protection zone




PART 1

Movement and gathering of birds

Prohibition on the movement of poultry and other captive birds from premises in a wild bird protection zone
     1.

    (1) No person may move poultry or other captive birds from premises in a wild bird protection zone except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting at the direction of a veterinary inspector.

    (2) The veterinary inspector may not grant, nor direct an inspector to grant, a licence under paragraph (1) unless it is for one of the following movements—

    (3) In this paragraph, "associated wild bird surveillance zone" means, in relation to a wild bird protection zone, the wild bird surveillance zone centred on the same place as that wild bird protection zone.

Prohibition on the movement of poultry and other captive birds in to or out of a wild bird protection zone
     2. No person may move poultry or other captive birds in to or out of a wild bird protection zone except where—



PART 2

Movement of hatching eggs

Prohibition on the movement of hatching eggs from a wild bird protection zone
     3.

    (1) No person may move any hatching egg out of a wild bird protection zone except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting at the direction of a veterinary inspector.

    (2) A veterinary inspector may not grant, nor authorise an inspector to grant, a licence under sub-paragraph (1), except for the movement of hatching eggs—

    (3) A veterinary inspector may not grant, nor authorise an inspector to grant, a licence under sub-paragraph (1) for movement for the purpose of trade with another member State, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein unless—

    (4) No person may move any hatching egg under the authority of a licence granted under subparagraph

    (1) for a movement for the purpose of trade with another member State, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein unless the vehicle used for movement was sealed after loading by a veterinary inspector or by a person acting at his direction.

Prohibition on the movement of an SPF-egg from the wild bird protection zone
     4. No person may move any SPF egg out of a wild bird protection zone except to a designated laboratory or institute for scientific, diagnostic or pharmaceutical uses under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting at the direction of a veterinary inspector.



PART 3

Movement of controlled meat

Restriction on the movement of controlled meat out of a wild bird protection zone
     5.

    (1) No person may move controlled meat, other than controlled meat in sub-paragraphs (a) to (f), out of a wild bird protection zone—

    (2) In this paragraph "a treatment against avian influenza" means either—

Requirement for the marking of meat
     6.

    (1) The mark applied under paragraph 5(1)(c) must bear a diagonal cross consisting of 2 straight lines intersecting at the centre of the stamp and enabling the information on the stamp to remain legible.

    (2) The mark may be applied using a single oval stamp, 6.5 centimetres wide by 4.5 centimetres high.

    (3) The following information must appear on the mark and be clearly legible—

    (4) The letters on the mark must be at least 0.8 centimetres high and the figures at least 1 centimetre high.

Cleansing of vehicles leaving a slaughterhouse
     7. A person who removes a vehicle containing meat from a slaughterhouse must ensure that the wheels and wheel arches are cleansed and disinfected prior to departure from the slaughterhouse.



PART 4

Movement of poultry products other than hatching eggs and controlled meat

Prohibition on the movement of poultry products from premises in a wild bird protection zone
     8.

    (1) No person may move a poultry product, other than a poultry product in paragraphs (a) to (n), from premises in a wild bird protection zone—

    (2) The prohibition in sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to a movement of a poultry product permitted under Part 3.



PART 5

Other measures

Prohibition on movement of used litter or manure
     9. No person may move any used litter or manure from premises in a wild bird protection zone to premises outside the zone unless—

Prohibition on the spread of used litter or manure
     10. No person may spread any used litter or manure from premises in a wild bird protection zone outside the zone unless it has been treated in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1774/2002.

Prohibition on hunting wild birds in a wild bird protection zone
     11. No person may hunt wild birds in a wild bird protection zone.

Prohibition on gatherings of poultry and other captive birds in a wild bird surveillance zone
     12. No person may permit any poultry or other captive birds to be collected together in a wild bird protection zone at any fair, market, show or other gathering.



SCHEDULE 2

Measures applicable in respect of a wild bird surveillance zone


Prohibition on the movement of poultry and other captive birds from a wild bird surveillance zone
     1.

    (1) No person may move poultry or other captive birds from premises in a wild bird surveillance zone, except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting at the direction of a veterinary inspector.

    (2) A veterinary inspector may not grant, nor authorise an inspector to grant, a licence under paragraph (1) for movement of poultry or other captive birds out of a wild bird surveillance zone before 15 days have elapsed since the declaration of the zone unless it is a movement of—

Prohibition on the movement of hatching eggs from premises in a wild bird surveillance zone
     2. No person may move any hatching egg from premises in a wild bird surveillance zone except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting at the direction of a veterinary inspector.

Prohibition on hunting wild birds in a wild bird surveillance zone
     3. No person may hunt wild birds in a wild bird surveillance zone.

Prohibition on gatherings of poultry and other captive birds in a wild bird surveillance zone
     4. No person may permit any poultry or other captive birds to be collected together in a wild bird surveillance zone at any fair, market, show or other gathering.



SCHEDULE 3
Article 10(3)


Biosecurity measures


     1. This Schedule applies in respect of premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept, other than—

    (2) In this paragraph, "quarantine centre" means premises where imported birds are quarantined on arrival in Scotland.

     2. The occupier must provide and maintain means of disinfection at the entrances and exits of the premises and any buildings on the premises housing poultry or other captive birds.

     3. A person entering or leaving premises—



EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)


This Order applies in Scotland only and implements Commission Decision 2006/115/EC concerning certain protection measures in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in the Community and repealing Decisions 2006/86/EC, 2006/90/EC, 2006/91/EC, 2006/94/EC, 2006/104/EC and 2006/105/EC[
9].

This Order provides that if the Chief Veterinary Officer (Scotland) advises the Scottish Ministers that avian influenza of subtype H5 is present in a wild bird or wild bird carcase and that they suspects, or is of the opinion that, the neuraminidase type is N1, the Scottish Ministers must declare a wild bird protection zone and a wild bird surveillance zone (articles 8 and 9). Article 13 sets out the circumstances in which the Scottish Ministers may amend or revoke a declaration of a wild bird protection zone or a wild bird surveillance zone.

Schedule 1 sets out the measures that are to apply in a wild bird protection zone including measures relating to the movement and gathering of birds (Part 1), the movement of hatching eggs (Part 2), the movement of meat (Part 3), the movement of other poultry products (part 4) and the use or movement of litter or manure and the hunting of birds (Part 5). Schedule 2 set out the measures that are to apply in a wild bird surveillance zone including measures relating to the movement of poultry and other birds and hatching eggs, and prohibitions on poultry gatherings and the hunting of wild birds. Schedule 3 set out the biosecurity measures that are to apply in respect of premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept in a wild bird protection zone or a wild bird surveillance zone. Article 11 provides that the Scottish Ministers may impose additional measures.

The Scottish Ministers must ensure that veterinary inspectors inspect commercial premises in a wild bird protection zone or a wild bird surveillance zone to monitor the spread of avian influenza (article 12). Articles 17 to 20 set out the powers of inspectors to impose biosecurity measures (article 17), to take any person with them on to premises to enforce this Order (article 18) and powers to take steps in cases of default (article 19).

Article 20 provides that any direction under this Order must be complied with at the expense of the person to whom it is given. Article 21 requires a person to provide reasonable assistance to an inspector and article 22 provides that no person may furnish information that he knows to be false or misleading. Article 24 provides a defence to a person who fails to comply with any restriction or requirement imposed under this Order that he did not know of that restriction or requirement or could not with reasonable diligence have obtained knowledge of it.

This Order is enforced by the local authority (article 25).

Breach of the Order is an offence under section 73 of the Animal Health Act 1981, punishable in accordance with section 75 of that Act.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has not been prepared in respect of this Order.


Notes:

[1] 1981 c. 22, see section 86(1) for the definition of "the Ministers". The functions of the Ministers of the Crown were transferred to the Scottish Ministers by virtue of section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c.46).back

[2] S.I. 1978/32.back

[3] O.J. No. L 139, 30.4.04, p.55. The revised text of the Regulation is contained in a corrigendum (O.J. No. L 226, 25.6.04, p.22).back

[4] O.J. No L 139, 30.4.04, p.206. The revised text of the Regulation is contained in a corrigendum (O.J. No L 226, 25.6.04, p.83).back

[5] O.J. No. L 273, 10.10.02, p.1.back

[6] S.I. 2005/2002.back

[7] S.I. 2005/2002.back

[8] S.I. 1998/463.back

[9] O.J. No L 48, 18.02.06 p.28.back



ISBN ISBN 0 11 070264 6


 © Crown copyright 2006

Prepared 19 April 2006


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URL: http://www.bailii.org/scot/legis/num_reg/2006/20060196.html