Explanatory note

This Order which revokes and replaces the Import and Export (Plant Health Fees) (England and Wales) Order 1987 prescribes fees in respect of the services listed in Schedules 1 and 2 to the Order (articles 4 to 8). These services are performed in connection with applications received for the issue of phytosanitary certificates or licences in accordance with the provisions of the Plant Health (Great Britain) Order 1987. The certificates are required to accompany exports of certain plants, plant products etc and licences are issued to enable the importation of those articles which would otherwise be prohibited.

As regards the export certification services the Order prescribes a basic fee in column 3 of Schedule 1 and in certain circumstances provides for the payment of a lower alternative fee instead of the basic fee. The alternative fees are shown in column 4 of Schedule 1 (articles 4, 5 and 6). The Order also makes provision for the payment of reduced fees (ie at half-rate up to a maximum total value at full fee of £500 in any financial year) by persons who are not taxable for the purposes of the Value Added Tax Act 1983 or who make no taxable supplies of plants, plant products, soil or agricultural machinery for the purposes of that Act or whose certificated exports or sales for exports in the previous financial year were of a value less than £5,000 gross (article 7).