Explanatory note

These Regulations, which extend to Great Britain, implementthe provisions concerning the level of the fees to be chargedfor health inspections and controls of meat contained inCouncil Directive 85/73/EEC (OJ No. L32, 5.2.85, p.14) on thefinancing of health inspections and controls of fresh meat andpoultrymeat as amended by Council Directive 93/118/EC (OJ No.L340, 31.12.93, p.15).

• The Regulations require the Minister to make a charge forthe performance of his functions relating to health inspectionand control exercises in respect of domestic animal or domesticbird meat and to examinations for the presence of residues(regulation 4).

• The Regulations provide for the calculation of the chargesfor health inspection and control exercises carried out atslaughterhouses (regulation 5), cutting premises (regulation 6)and rewrapping centres and cold stores (regulation 7).

• The Regulations provide for the calculation of the chargesfor examinations for the presence of residues (regulation 8 andSchedule 1) and authorise the Minister to make a charge forhealth inspection and control exercises in respect of game meat(regulation 9).

• Before fixing charges the Minister is required to givenotice of the amount of the proposed charge and to consider anyrepresentations made concerning the charge by any person whomhe has notified (regulation 12).

• The Regulations require that the Minister be provided withthe information necessary to calculate charges under theRegulations and with any evidence necessary to verify suchinformation (regulation 14).

• A Compliance Cost Assessment in relation to theseRegulations has been placed in the libraries of both Houses ofParliament and copies can be obtained from the Meat HygieneDivision of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,Government Buildings, Hook Rise South, Tolworth, Surbiton,Surrey KT6 7NF.