# The Importation of Embryos, Ova and Semen (Amendment) Order 1984, Note: Explanatory note


This Order amends the Importation of Embryos, Ova and Semen Order 1980 (“the 1980 Order”) which prohibits the landing in Great Britain of the embryos, ova or semen of certain animals from a place outside Great Britain except under a licence. The prohibition does not however apply to any semen landed in Great Britain in accordance with the provisions of section 17(3) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1943 (c.16) which prohibited the importation into Great Britain of any bovine semen or any porcine semen except under a licence issued under that section.
Section 17(3) of the 1943 Act was repealed by the Animal Health and Welfare Act 1984(which repeal takes effect on 13th September 1984) and under section 10 of that Act regulations may be made by the appropriate Minister (as defined in that Act) prohibiting, for the purpose of controlling their use for artificial breeding, the importation into Great Britain of semen, ova or embryos of any specified kind of livestock except under a licence issued under those regulations. This Order amends the 1980 Order so that the prohibition of the landing of embryos, ova or semen in Great Britain contained in it does not apply to any embryos, ova or semen which are imported into Great Britain under the authority of a licence issued under regulations made under section 10 of the 1984 Act (Article 2(2)).
Regulations made under section 10 of the 1984 Act currently in force are the Importation of Bovine Semen Regulations 1984 (S.I. 1984/1325) which, for the purpose of controlling its use for artificial breeding, prohibit the importation of bovine semen into Great Britain except under a licence issued under those regulations. Thus the landing in Great Britain of any porcine semen is now regulated by the 1980 Order.
The other change of substance made to the 1980 Order is that veterinary inspectors are now able to require the owner or person in charge of any embryos, ova or semen which have been landed in Great Britain or of any embryos, ova or semen already in Great Britain which have been in contact with any embryos, ova or semen so landed and which (in either case) are suspected of being diseased to destroy or export (as that person may elect) such embryos, ova or semen or any containers in which they are carried (Article 2(3)).

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1984/1326/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/importation-of-embryos-ova-and-semen-amendment-order-1984/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.