Explanatory note
(The note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations implement Article 13(1), first indent of Council Directive 85/511/EEC introducing Community measures for the control of foot-and-mouth disease (OJ No. L135, 26.11.85, p. 11) as amended, in particular, by Council Directive 90/423/EEC (OJ No. L224, 18.8.90, p. 13). They prohibit vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in England except in accordance with the conditions of a licence issued by the Secretary of State (regulation 3). This prohibition does not apply to anything done by a person pursuant to, and in accordance with, a licence issued by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under article 4 of the Specified Animal Pathogens Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/463).
The Regulations make provisions for powers of inspectors (regulation 4) and make it an offence to obstruct a person acting under the Regulations (regulation 5). They also make provision for offences by bodies corporate (regulation 6).
Breach of the Regulations is an offence (regulation 7). The penalty for obstruction is a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or both on summary conviction. A person guilty of any other offence under these Regulations is liable—
on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both;
on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.
The Regulations are enforced by the Secretary of State or a local authority (regulation 8).
A Regulatory Impact Assessment has not been prepared for these Regulations.