Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the British Wool Marketing Scheme (Amendment) Order 2024.

(2) This Order comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

(3) This Order extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Amendments to the British Wool Marketing Scheme

2.—(1) The Schedule to the British Wool Marketing Scheme (Approval) Order 1950 is amended as follows.

(2) Omit paragraph 5.

(3) In paragraph 6, for “, after” to the end substitute—

“consist of—

(a) nine regional members, all of whom shall be elected as hereinafter provided;

(b) no less than two members, and (provided that there are at least two) no more that one-fifth of the total number of members, appointed by the Minister in accordance with Section 3 of, and paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Second Schedule to, the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958; and

(c) no more than three additional members as may be appointed by a body comprising all the regional members of the Board, for a term as may be determined by that body, but no more than three years, extendable or terminable as the body considers appropriate, all pursuant to a question being raised in accordance with the process set out under paragraph 28 hereof. ”.

(4) In paragraph 8, in sub-paragraph (4), omit “subject to Paragraph 37A”.

(5) In paragraph 9, in sub-paragraph (d), from “(2)” to “1931” substitute “(3) of Section 47 of the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958”.

(6) In paragraph 27—

(a) after “Committee of the Board” insert “, or any body formed for the purpose of appointing additional members to the Board under paragraph 6(c),”;

(b) after “places” insert “(including electronic, digital or virtual locations such as internet locations, web addresses or conference call telephone numbers)”;

(c) for “or the Committee respectively” substitute “, Committee or body respectively.”.

(7) In paragraph 28—

(a) after “hereof” insert “, or any body formed for the purpose of appointing additional members to the Board under paragraph 6(c),”;

(b) after “voting” insert “, whether in person or by electronic, digital, or virtual means”.

(8) In paragraph 32—

(a) after “Secretary” insert “or Chairman”;

(b) after “members of the Board” insert “(or the Chairman plus one member)”.

(9) Omit paragraph 37A.

(10) In paragraph 43—

(a) for “the address of the Board to which written nominations of candidates are to be sent” substitute “how nominations of candidates are to be submitted”;

(b) for “at the specified address” substitute “in the specified way”.

(11) In paragraph 44, in sub-paragraph (3)—

(a) after “post” insert “or by electronic, digital or virtual means”;

(b) after “voting paper”, in the first place it occurs, insert “, or voting instructions,”;

(c) for “the address of the Board to which the voting papers are to be sent” substitute “how the votes are to be returned”;

(d) after “the day on which the voting papers” insert “or instructions”;

(e) for “voting papers will”, substitute “votes must”;

(f) for “no voting paper” substitute “no vote”;

(g) for “at the specified address” substitute “in the specified way”;

(h) after “loss of a voting paper” insert “or instructions”.

(12) In paragraph 45, in sub-paragraph (3), after “person voting” insert “using paper voting methods”.

(13) In paragraph 45, in sub-paragraph (4), for “filled up the voting paper” substitute “completed his vote”.

(14) In paragraph 51, for “fee” until the end substitute “reasonable fee.”.

(15) In paragraph 57—

(a) after “post” insert “or by electronic, digital or virtual means”;

(b) after “voting paper”, in the first place it occurs, insert “or voting instructions”.

(16) In paragraph 58, from “the voting paper” to “the Board” substitute “only votes which are properly submitted as specified by the Board and received”.

(17) In paragraph 61, after “voting paper” insert “or electronic, digital or virtual vote”.

(18) In paragraph 66, for “four” substitute “six”.

(19) In paragraph 83, for “place” substitute “location (physical, electronic, digital or virtual)”.

(20) In paragraph 86, for “place” substitute “location (physical, electronic, digital or virtual)”.

(21) In paragraph 87, in sub-paragraph (1)—

(a) after “hands”, in the first place it occurs, insert “or similar virtual method”;

(b) for “show of hands”, in the second place it occurs, substitute “vote”;

(c) after “personally”, in both places it occurs, insert “or virtually”;

(d) for “voting paper”, in the first place it occurs, substitute “vote”;

(e) after “voting paper”, in the second place it occurs, insert “or voting instructions,”;

(f) after “voting paper”, in the third place it occurs, insert “or voting instructions”;

(g) for “voting papers” substitute “votes”.

(22) In paragraph 87, in sub-paragraph (2), after “hands”, in both places it occurs, insert “or similar virtual method,”.

(23) In paragraph 88, in sub-paragraph (1), after “notice thereof” insert “(either in writing or by electronic, digital or virtual means)”.

(24) In paragraph 92. for “to him” until the end substitute—

“—

(a) by post, to the address last used by the person in correspondence or that provided for entry in the register, with the correct postage prepaid; or

(b) by email, to the last email address used by the person in correspondence or that provided for entry in the register. ”.

(25) Omit the Third Schedule.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes further amendments to the British Wool Marketing Scheme (Approval) Order 1950 ( S.I. 1950/1326) (“ the 1950 Order”).

The amendments principally enable decisions and meetings to be held by electronic, digital and virtual forms of communication. They also allow for additional members to be appointed to the Board to expand its expertise, remove the age limit for regional Board members and county representatives to take account of legislation protecting against age discrimination and bring the timetable for producing annual accounts in line with other public bodies.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.