Regulation 2 Interpretation

In these Regulations—

• “the Committee” means the UK Health Protection Committee established under regulation 4(1);

• “communicable disease” means any infectious disease caused by a contagious agent which is transmitted from person to person by direct contact with an infected individual or by indirect means such as exposure to a vector, animal, fomite, product or environment, or exchange of fluid which is contaminated with the contagious agent;

• “health threat” means a condition, agent or incident which may cause, directly or indirectly, ill health;

• “IHR” means the International Health Regulations (2005) of the World Health Organisation adopted by the fifty-eighth World Health Assembly on 23rd May 2005^f1;

• “monitoring” means the continuous observation, detection or review of changes in a condition, in a situation, or in activities, including a continuous function that uses systematic collection of data and analysis on specified indicators relating to serious cross-border health threats;

• “part of the United Kingdom” means England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland;

• “related special health matters” means antimicrobial resistance and healthcare associated infections related to communicable diseases;

• “relevant Minister” means—

  1. (a)

     in England, the Secretary of State;

  2. (b)

     in Scotland, the Scottish Ministers;

  3. (c)

     in Wales, the Welsh Ministers;

  4. (d)

     in Northern Ireland, a Minister within the meaning of the Northern Ireland Act 1998^f2 or a Northern Ireland department;

• “serious cross-border health threat” has the meaning given in regulation 5;

• “TCA” means the Trade and Cooperation Agreement within the meaning in section 37(1) of the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020;

• “UK authority” means in respect of a part of the United Kingdom—

  1. (a)

     the UK public health agency for that part; and

  2. (b)

     the relevant Minister for that part;

• “UK focal point” means the national focal point for the United Kingdom designated by the Secretary of State for the purposes of Title 1 of Part 4 of the TCA and notified to the European Union^f3.