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Statutory Instruments made by the National Assembly for Wales


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URL: http://www.bailii.org/wales/legis/num_reg/2006/20063310e.html

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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2006 No. 3310 (W.300)

ANIMALS, WALES

ANIMAL HEALTH

The Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Wild Birds) (Wales) Order 2006

  Made 12 December 2006 
  Coming into force 13 December 2006 


CONTENTS


PART 1

Introduction
1. Title, commencement and application
2. Interpretation
3. Declarations and notices
4. Licences

PART 2

Confirmation or suspicion of H5N1
5. Confirmation or suspicion of H5N1 in wild birds
6. Extent of wild bird control and monitoring areas
7. Wild bird or carcase found within a protection zone or surveillance zone
8. Measures applicable in a wild bird control area or monitoring area
9. Additional measures
10. Restrictions relating to things moved from Scotland, England or Northern Ireland
11. Duty to inspect poultry premises
12. Maintenance of Areas

PART 3

Miscellaneous
13. Designation of premises to which things may be moved
14. General duties relating to execution of this Order
15. Record keeping
16. Duty to comply with declarations, licences and notices
17. Change of occupation of premises under restriction
18. Cleansing and disinfection
19. Designated areas and periods for the inspection of vehicles
20. Disapplication of measures to those executing or enforcing this Order
21. Veterinary investigations and marking
22. General powers of inspectors
23. Powers of inspectors in case of default
24. Offences by bodies corporate
25. Enforcement

  SCHEDULE 1 — Measures applicable in respect of a wild bird control area
 PART 1 — Movement of birds
 PART 2 — Movement of hatching eggs and SPF eggs
 PART 3 — Movement of controlled meat
 PART 4 — Movement of by-products
 PART 5 — Other measures

  SCHEDULE 2 — Measures applicable in respect of a wild bird monitoring area

  SCHEDULE 3 — Biosecurity measures

The National Assembly for Wales, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by sections 1, 7(1), 7(2), 8(1), 11, 15(5), 17(1), 23, 25, 28, 35(1), 35(3), 38(1) and 65(A)(3) of the Animal Health Act 1981[
1], makes the following Order:



PART 1

Introduction

Title, commencement and application
     1. —(1) The title of this Order is the Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Wild Birds) (Wales) Order 2006.

    (2) This Order comes into force on 13 December 2006.

    (3) This Order applies in relation to Wales only.

Interpretation
    
2. In this Order—

Declarations and notices
     3. —(1) A declaration of a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area under this Order—

    (2) Notices issued under this Order—

    (3) The National Assembly must ensure that the extent of any wild bird control area or wild bird monitoring area declared under this Order, the nature of the restrictions and requirements applicable within it and the dates of its declaration and revocation are publicised.

Licences
    
4. —(1) No person is to grant a licence under this Order for the movement of any poultry, other captive bird, hatching egg, controlled meat or bird by-product unless he or she has taken account of the relevant risk assessment.

    (2) In paragraph (1),the "relevant risk assessment" means the National Assembly's assessment of the risk that the particular movement or a movement of that type would spread avian influenza.

    (3) Licences granted under this Order—

    (4) Licences granted in Scotland or England for activities that could be licensed in Wales under this Order have effect in Wales as if they were licences granted under this Order, but an inspector acting under the direction of the National Assembly may serve a notice on any person moving any thing under the authority of such a licence, requiring him or her to move it to and keep it on premises specified in the notice or move it out of Wales.

    (5) A person moving anything under the authority of a specific licence granted under this Order must—

    (6) A person moving anything under the authority of a general licence granted under this Order must—

    (7) Unless the National Assembly directs otherwise in a declaration of a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area or by notice to the occupier of any premises or to the owner or occupier of any vehicle, any movement that has already started when such a declaration comes into force may be completed.



PART 2

Confirmation or suspicion of H5N1

Confirmation or suspicion of H5N1 in wild birds
    
5. —(1) This article applies if the Chief Veterinary Officer advises the National Assembly that—

    (2) If the wild bird or carcase was found in Wales, the National Assembly must declare—

    (3) If the wild bird or carcase was found in Scotland or England—

    (4) Paragraphs (2), (3)(b) and (3)(c) do not apply if the National Assembly is satisfied, pursuant to a risk assessment, that—

    (5) The risk assessment under paragraph (4) must take into account any geographical and ecological considerations.

    (6) An area remains a wild bird control area until—

    (7) An area remains a wild bird monitoring area until the National Assembly revokes the declaration made under paragraph (2)(b), (3)(a) or (3)(c).

    (8) Subject to paragraph (9), premises which are only partly in a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area are deemed to be wholly within that area.

    (9) Premises which are partly in a wild bird control area and partly in a wild bird monitoring area are deemed to be wholly in the wild bird control area.

Extent of wild bird control and monitoring areas
    
6. —(1) A wild bird control area must—

    (2) A wild bird monitoring area must—

    (3) The National Assembly must take into account the following factors in deciding the extent of any wild bird control area or wild bird monitoring area—

    (4) Paragraphs (5) and (6) apply if the National Assembly is satisfied, having carried out a risk assessment, that due to natural barriers or the absence of suitable habitats for wild birds, there is sufficient protection of poultry and other captive birds in the area that would otherwise be declared to be the wild bird control area.

    (5) The wild bird control area may have a boundary which is at least one kilometre from the outbreak point.

    (6) Where the outbreak point is less than one kilometre away from the bank of a river or the shore of a lake or coast, the wild bird control area may be an area of land which—

    (7) The risk assessment under paragraph (4) must take account of the factors listed in paragraph (3).

    (8) If the National Assembly declares a wild bird control area of the dimensions provided for under paragraph (5) or (6), the wild bird monitoring area must be of such size and shape as the National Assembly considers necessary to prevent the spread of avian influenza.

    (9) A wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area declared under article 5(3) must be of such size and shape as the National Assembly considers necessary to prevent the spread of avian influenza.

    (10) If an area declared in accordance with this article would otherwise include land in England, the National Assembly must declare an area of such part of that land as is in Wales.

Wild bird or carcase found within a protection zone or surveillance zone
    
7. If the wild bird or carcase referred to in article 5(1) is found within a protection zone or surveillance zone declared under article 28 of the Avian Influenza Order, the National Assembly must, when declaring a wild bird control area and a wild bird monitoring area, consider, on the basis of a risk assessment, whether the control and monitoring areas should include part or all of the protection and surveillance zones.

Measures applicable in a wild bird control area or monitoring area
    
8. —(1) The measures in Schedule 1 apply in respect of a wild bird control area including movements from that area, subject to paragraphs (4)(a) and (9).

    (2) The measures in Schedule 2 apply in respect of a wild bird monitoring area including movements from that area, subject to paragraph (4)(b).

    (3) The biosecurity measures in Schedule 3 apply in respect of a wild bird control area and a wild bird monitoring area.

    (4) Where the conditions in paragraph (5) are fulfilled, the National Assembly may—

    (5) The conditions are—

    (6) When carrying out a risk assessment under paragraph (5)(a) the National Assembly must take account of the factors listed in article 6(3).

    (7) Paragraph (4)(b) does not apply in relation to the measures in paragraphs (4) and (6) of Schedule 2 where the National Assembly has amended the declaration of a wild bird control area so that it has become part of the wild bird monitoring area before 21 days have elapsed from the date the sample was collected from the wild bird or carcase in accordance with article 12(1)(a).

    (8) Paragraph (9) applies if—

    (9) The National Assembly may amend the declaration of the wild bird control area so that—

do not apply in respect of that wild bird control area.

Additional measures
    
9. —(1) In its declaration of a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area, the National Assembly must impose such additional measures as it considers necessary to reduce the risk of the spread of avian influenza.

    (2) When deciding what measures to impose under paragraph (1), the National Assembly must consider whether measures are necessary—

    (3) The additional measures referred to in paragraph (1) include requirements that—

Restrictions relating to things moved from Scotland, England or Northern Ireland
    
10. —(1) Subject to paragraph (2), measures in this Order that apply in respect of any thing moved from a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area apply in respect of any such thing moved from an equivalent area in Scotland, England or Northern Ireland.

    (2) Paragraph (1) only applies if the person to whom the measure applies is aware, or should reasonably have been aware, that the thing moved is from such an equivalent area.

Duty to inspect poultry premises
    
11. —(1) Subject to article 8(9), the National Assembly must ensure that—

    (2) Every veterinary inspector making such a visit must—

Maintenance of Areas
    
12. —(1) If the Chief Veterinary Officer advises the National Assembly that the avian influenza virus of sub-type H5 present in the wild bird or carcase referred to in article 5(1)(a) is of neuraminidase N1, the National Assembly must not—

    (2) The conditions referred to in paragraph (1)(a) are—

    (3) Where the National Assembly amends a declaration so that a wild bird control area becomes part of the wild bird monitoring area before 21 days have elapsed from the date referred to in paragraph (1)(a), the declaration of the wild bird monitoring area may also be amended so that the size and shape of that area is varied, provided that the area remains of a size required under article 6(5) or 6(6).

    (4) If the Chief Veterinary Officer advises the National Assembly that in his or her opinion the avian influenza virus of sub-type H5 present in the wild bird or carcase referred to in article 5(1)(a) is not of neuraminidase N1, the National Assembly must revoke any declaration made under article 5 without delay.



PART 3

Miscellaneous

Designation of premises to which things may be moved
    
13. —(1) Unless the National Assembly directs otherwise by notice to the occupier of the premises, the following premises are deemed to be designated for the purpose of receiving poultry, eggs or bird by-products (as the case may be) which are moved in accordance with this Order—

    (2) Plants referred to in paragraph (1)(c) in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland which are designated respectively by the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or by the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development of Northern Ireland for the same purposes as they are deemed to be designated under this Order are deemed to be designated for the purposes of this Order.

General duties relating to execution of this Order
     14. —(1) Any person required to give reasonable assistance or information to a person executing this Order must, unless he or she has reasonable cause, do so without delay.

    (2) The occupier of any premises from or to which he or she wishes any thing to be moved under licence under this Order must allow an inspector or any person authorised by the National Assembly to enter those premises for the purposes of deciding whether such a licence should be granted or maintained.

    (3) No person may provide information which he or she knows to be false or misleading to a person executing this Order.

    (4) No person may deface, obliterate or remove any mark applied by an inspector under this Order except with the written authority of a veterinary inspector.

Record keeping
    
15. —(1) A person moving poultry, other captive birds or their products under a licence granted under this Order must—

    (2) A person who is required under this Order to make any other record must retain it for at least twelve months from the date the record is made.

    (3) A person required to produce a record by a person executing this Order must do so without delay.

    (3) On production of the record, the person executing this Order may—

Duty to comply with declarations, licences and notices
    
16. —(1) Any person to whom any requirement in a declaration, licence, notice or designation under this Order applies must—

    (2) The costs incurred by any person in taking any action required, or in refraining from taking action prohibited, by or under this Order must be met by that person unless the National Assembly directs otherwise in writing.

Change of occupation of premises under restriction
    
17. —(1) This article applies if the keeper of any poultry or other captive bird is unable to move the poultry or other captive bird from premises on the termination of his or her right of occupation because of a movement restriction imposed by or under this Order and continues to apply for seven days after any such restriction has been removed.

    (2) The person entitled to occupation of the premises on termination of the keeper's right of occupation must—

    (3) If the keeper is unable or unwilling to feed or tend the poultry or other captive bird, the person entitled to occupation of the premises must take such steps as are necessary to ensure it is properly fed and tended.

    (4) The keeper is liable to pay the reasonable costs incurred by any person feeding or tending it, or providing facilities for feeding, tending or otherwise using it in accordance with this article.

Cleansing and disinfection
    
18. —(1) Any person who is required under this Order to carry out disinfection at any premises or of any thing must—

    (2) Where cleansing and disinfection of vehicles is required at any premises under this Order, the occupier of those premises must provide adequate facilities and proper equipment and materials for that cleansing and disinfection.

Designated areas and periods for the inspection of vehicles
     19. The following are designated for the purposes of section 65A (inspection of vehicles) of the Animal Health Act 1981[8]—

Disapplication of measures to those executing or enforcing this Order
     20. Provisions in this Order which prohibit or restrict the movement or use of any thing do not apply to the following in their execution of the Order—

Veterinary investigations and marking
    
21. —(1) An inspector performing functions under this Order who enters any premises or inspects any vehicle may—

    (2) Any person who enters premises under paragraph (1)(d) may return unaccompanied to take any further steps necessary to carry out the relevant function.

General powers of inspectors
    
22. —(1) An inspector may, when performing his or her functions under this Order, require by notice the person in charge of any vehicle or equipment to cleanse and disinfect it.

    (2) A veterinary inspector or an inspector acting under his or her direction may, when performing his or her functions under this Order—

Powers of inspectors in case of default
    
23. —(1) If any person fails to comply with a requirement in or under this Order an inspector may take any steps he or she considers necessary to ensure the requirement is met or to prevent the spread of avian influenza at the expense of that person.

    (2) An inspector's powers under paragraph (1) include powers to—

Offences by bodies corporate
    
24. —(1) If an offence under this Order committed by a body corporate is shown—

the officer as well as the body corporate is guilty of the offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

    (2) If the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, paragraph (1) applies in relation to the acts and defaults of a member in connection with his or her functions of management as if he or she were a director of the body.

    (3) "Officer", in relation to a body corporate, means a director, member of the committee of management, chief executive, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body, or a person purporting to act in any such capacity.

Enforcement
    
25. —(1) These Regulations must be enforced by the local authority.

    (2) The National Assembly may direct, in relation to cases of a particular description or to a particular case, that it will enforce this Order instead.



Signed on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales under section 66(1) of the Government of Wales Act 1998[
9].


D. Elis-Thomas
The Presiding Officer of the National Assembly

12 December 2006



SCHEDULE 1
Article 8(1)


Measures applicable in respect of a wild bird control area




PART 1

Movement of birds

Prohibition on the movement of poultry or other captive birds from premises in a wild bird control area
     1. —(1) No person may move poultry or other captive birds from premises in a wild bird control area except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting under his or her direction.

    (2) A veterinary inspector may not grant or direct the grant of a licence for a movement under paragraph (1) unless it is for a movement of—

    (3) A veterinary inspector may not grant or direct the grant of a licence for a movement referred to in sub-paragraph 2(f) unless he or she is satisfied that there was no contact, at the hatchery from which the day-old chicks are being moved, between the eggs from which the day old chicks were hatched and any other hatching eggs or day-old chicks originating from poultry within the wild bird control area or wild bird monitoring area.

Restriction on movement of poultry from premises of destination
     2. —(1) If a veterinary inspector, or an inspector acting under his or her direction—

the occupier of the premises to which they are moved must ensure that neither they nor any other poultry are moved off the premises for 21 days from the date when those day-old chicks arrived.

Slaughter of poultry
     3. —(1) The occupier of a slaughterhouse to which poultry are moved in accordance with paragraph 1(2)(a) or 1(2)(c) must ensure that the poultry are slaughtered without delay.

    (2) The occupier of a slaughterhouse which produces—

must ensure that the conditions in paragraph (3) are fulfilled.

    (3) The conditions are—

Prohibition on the movement of poultry and other captive birds through a wild bird control area
     4. —(1) No person may move poultry or other captive birds through a wild bird control area unless the movement is straight through the area on a major highway or railway.

    (2) In this paragraph a movement "straight through" a wild bird control area means a movement into that area and then out of that area without stopping or unloading.



PART 2

Movement of hatching eggs and SPF eggs

Prohibition on the movement of hatching eggs from a wild bird control area
     5. —(1) No person may move any hatching egg which was collected from premises within a wild bird control area from premises in that area except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting under his or her direction.

    (2) A veterinary inspector may not grant or direct the grant of a licence under sub-paragraph (1), unless it is for a movement of hatching eggs—

    (3) A veterinary inspector may not grant or direct the grant of a licence for a movement to an undesignated hatchery in accordance with sub-paragraph (2)(a) unless—

Prohibition on the movement of an SPF-egg from the wild bird control area
     6. —(1) No person may move any SPF-egg collected from premises in a wild bird control area from premises in that area except to a designated laboratory, institute or vaccine manufacturer for scientific, diagnostic or pharmaceutical uses except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting under his or her direction.

    (2) In sub-paragraph (1), "SPF-egg" means a hatching egg for use for diagnostic procedures in laboratories for the production and testing of vaccines and for research or pharmaceutical purposes.

Cleansing and disinfection at undesignated hatcheries
     7. The occupier of an undesignated hatchery to which hatching eggs are moved in accordance with paragraph 5(2)(a) must—

Separation of hatching eggs
     8. —(1) A person moving hatching eggs out of the wild bird control area under paragraph 5(1) must ensure that those eggs do not come into contact with hatching eggs collected from premises outside that area.

    (2) The occupier of an undesignated hatchery to which hatching eggs are moved in accordance with paragraph 5(2)(a) must ensure that those eggs do not come into contact with hatching eggs collected from premises outside the wild bird control area.



PART 3

Movement of controlled meat

Restriction on the movement of controlled meat out of a wild bird control area
     9. —(1) No person may move controlled meat out of a wild bird control area except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting under his or her direction.

    (2) A veterinary inspector may not grant or direct the grant of a licence under sub-paragraph (1) unless it is for the movement of—

    (3) No person other than the final consumer of meat marked with a mark referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(c) may deface, obliterate or remove that mark, unless licensed by the National Assembly.

National mark
     10. —(1) The mark referred to in paragraph 9(2)(c)(i) must—

    (2) The other mark referred to in paragraph 12(1) must be —

Conditions for the movement of meat and products under article 9(2)(c)(ii)
     11. The conditions referred to in paragraph 9(2)(c)(ii) are that the meat (or the meat from which the product was made) was obtained, cut and stored separately from—

Separation of controlled meat
     12. —(1) A person moving controlled meat out of the wild bird control area under a licence granted in accordance with paragraph 9(2)(c) must ensure that it does not come into contact with controlled meat being moved under a licence granted in accordance with paragraphs 9(2)(a), (b) or (d) or any meat from poultry from outside that area.

    (2) A person receiving controlled meat moved under a licence granted in accordance with paragraph 9(2)(c) must ensure that it is not used in meat products or meat preparations intended for placing on the market outside the United Kingdom unless it or the product or preparation in which it has been used has undergone a heat treatment at a minimum temperature of 70°C, which must be reached throughout the meat.

    (3) If controlled meat referred to in paragraphs 9(2)(a), (b) or (d) comes into contact with meat referred to in paragraph 9(2)(c), the person moving such controlled meat must identify it in accordance with paragraph 9(2)(c) as soon as is reasonably practicable and must not transport it to premises outside the United Kingdom.



PART 4

Movement of by-products

Restriction on the movement of bird by-products or products derived from bird by-products from premises in a wild bird control area
     13. —(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (4), no person may move from a wild bird control area, a bird by-product derived from poultry, other captive birds or wild game birds originating from within that control area, or a product deriving from such by-products, except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting under his or her direction

    (2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), a veterinary inspector may not grant or direct the grant of a licence under sub-paragraph (1) unless it is for a movement of—

    (3) A veterinary inspector may not grant or direct the grant of a licence under sub-paragraph (1) for the movement of the by-products listed in sub-paragraphs (2)(a) to (i) unless they have also been processed at a processing plant which complies with the requirements of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No. 1774/2002.

    (4) The prohibition in sub-paragraph (13) does not apply to a movement permitted under paragraph 14 or 15.

    (5) The bird by-products referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(p) and (2)(q) must be accompanied by the model commercial document in accordance with Chapter X of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No. 1774/2002.

    (6) The commercial document accompanying the bird by-products referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(q) must state at point 6.1 that they have been treated with a steam current or with another method to ensure no virus causing avian influenza remains.

    (7) Paragraph (5) does not apply to processed decorative feathers or processed feathers carried by travellers for their private use or consignments of processed feathers sent to private individuals for non-industrial purposes.



PART 5

Other measures

Prohibition on movement of poultry manure
     14. No person may move any manure from poultry or other captive birds from premises in a wild bird control area unless—

Prohibition on the spread of poultry manure
     15. No person may spread any manure from poultry or other captive birds from premises in a wild bird control area unless—

Prohibition on gatherings of poultry and other captive birds in a wild bird control area
     16. —(1) No person may arrange any fair, market, show, exhibition or other gathering involving the collecting together of poultry or other captive birds.

    (2) No person may bring any poultry or other captive birds to such a gathering.

Prohibition on hunting wild birds in a wild bird control area
     17. No person may hunt wild birds or otherwise take them from the wild in a wild bird control area except under the authority of a licence granted by the National Assembly.

Prohibition on the release of game birds
     18. No person may release game birds in a wild bird control area.



SCHEDULE 2
Article 8(2)


Measures applicable in respect of a wild bird monitoring area


Prohibition on the movement of poultry and other captive birds from a wild bird monitoring area
     1. —(1) No person may move poultry or other captive birds from premises in a wild bird monitoring area before 15 days have elapsed since the declaration of the area, except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector or an inspector acting under his or her direction.

    (2) A veterinary inspector may not grant or direct the grant of a licence for a movement under paragraph (1) unless it is a movement of—

    (3) A veterinary inspector may not grant or direct the grant of a licence for a movement referred to in sub-paragraph 2(e) unless he or she is satisfied that there was no contact, at the hatchery from which the day-old chicks are being moved, between the eggs from which the day old chicks were hatched and any other hatching eggs or day-old chicks originating from poultry within the wild bird control area or wild bird monitoring area.

Slaughter of poultry
     2. The occupier of a slaughterhouse to which poultry are moved in accordance with paragraph 1(2)(a) must ensure that the poultry are slaughtered without delay.

Restriction on movement of poultry from premises of destination
     3. If a veterinary inspector, or an inspector acting under his or her direction, grants a licence for a movement of day-old chicks in accordance with paragraph (1)(2)(d) to premises outside the wild bird monitoring area, or outside the wild bird control area centred on the same outbreak point, the occupier of the premises to which they are moved must ensure that neither they nor any other poultry are moved off the premises for 21 days from the date when those day-old chicks arrived.

Prohibition on hunting wild birds in a wild bird monitoring area
     4. No person may hunt wild birds or otherwise take them from the wild in a wild bird monitoring area except under the authority of a licence granted by the National Assembly.

Prohibition on gatherings of poultry and other captive birds in a wild bird monitoring area
     5. —(1) No person may arrange any fair, market, show, exhibition or other gathering involving the collecting together of poultry or other captive birds.

    (2) No person may bring any poultry or other captive birds to such a gathering.

Prohibition on the release of game birds
     6. No person may release game birds in a wild bird monitoring area.



SCHEDULE 3
Article 8(3)

Biosecurity measures
     1. This Schedule applies in respect of premises in a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area where poultry or other captive birds are kept, other than slaughterhouses.

     2. The occupier must provide and maintain means of disinfection at the entrances and exits of the premises and any buildings on the premises housing poultry or other captive birds.

     3. A person entering or leaving premises must not wear clothing or footwear which is visibly soiled with mud, droppings, animal or bird faeces, or any similar matter.

     4. A person in charge of any vehicle entering or leaving premises must ensure that—



EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)


This Order applies in relation to Wales and implements Commission Decision 2006/563/EC concerning certain protection measures in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in the Community and repealing Decision 2006/115/EC (OJ No. L 222, 15.8.2006, p.11), as amended by the Commission Decision amending Commission Decisions 2006/415/EC, 2006/416/EC and 2006/563/EC as regards the health mark to be applied to fresh poultry meat adopted on 1 December 2006 (SANCO/10587/2006 Rev.4) and the Commission Decision establishing an alternative health mark pursuant to Directive 2002/99/EC, also adopted on 1 December 2006 (SANCO/10580/2006/Rev. 4). The Commission Decisions adopted on 1 December 2006 have not yet been published in the Official Journal of the European Union but are available at the address below.

This Order provides that if the Chief Veterinary Officer advises the National Assembly that avian influenza of subtype H5 is present in a wild bird or a wild bird carcase and that he or she suspects or confirms that the neuraminidase type is N1, the National Assembly must, subject to a derogation, declare a wild bird control area and a wild bird monitoring area (articles 5, 6 and 7). Article 8 introduces Schedules 1 — 3 and sets out the circumstances in which the National Assembly can amend a declaration so that certain measures do not apply in respect of those areas.

Article 9 provides that the National Assembly may, in its declaration of a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area, impose additional measures to those set out in the Schedules.

The National Assembly must ensure that veterinary inspectors inspect commercial premises in a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area to monitor the spread of avian influenza (article 11).

Article 12 sets out the circumstances in which the National Assembly can either amend a declaration of a wild bird control area so that it becomes part of the wild bird monitoring area or revoke the declaration of either area.

Articles 14 to 16 relate to the provision of information and reasonable assistance, to record keeping and to compliance with requirements laid down under the Order. Article 17 provides for the feeding and tending of animals or poultry which cannot be moved on termination of a right of occupation because of a restriction imposed by the Order. Article 18 relates to cleansing and disinfection.

Articles 19 to 25 make provision related to offences and enforcement. Article 22 confers general powers on inspectors to take action to prevent spread of the disease.

Schedule 1 sets out the measures that are to apply in respect of a wild bird control area including measures relating to the movement of birds (Part 1), the movement of hatching eggs (Part 2), the movement of meat (Part 3), the movement of poultry by-products (part 4) and the use or movement of manure, the hunting or release of birds and bird gatherings (Part 5) and other provisions relating to the measures to be taken at premises receiving birds or their products from the area. Schedule 2 sets out the measures that are to apply in respect of a wild bird monitoring area including measures relating to the movement of birds and prohibitions on bird gatherings and the hunting or release of birds. Schedule 3 sets out the biosecurity measures that are to apply in respect of premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept in a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area.

This Order is enforced by the local authority (article 25).

Failure to comply with this Order is an offence under section 73 of the Animal Health Act 1981 (c.22), punishable in accordance with section 75 of that Act.

A regulatory appraisal of the effect that this Order will have on the costs of business has not been prepared because of the obligation to implement European Commission Decisions on animal disease control as quickly as possible.


Notes:

[1] 1981 c. 22, as amended by the Animal Health Act 2002 c. 42, S.I. 1992/3293 and S.I. 2003/1734. Functions transferred to the National Assembly by the National Assembly (Transfer of Functions) Orders 1999 and 2004 (S.I. 1999/672 and S.I. 2004/3044 respectively).back

[2] S.I. 2006/2927 (W.267).back

[3] S.I 2006/2803 (W.242).back

[4] OJ No L 139, 30.4.04, p55. The revised text of the Regulation is contained in a corrigendum (OJ No L 226, 25.6.04, p22).back

[5] OJ No. L273, 10.10.02, p1, as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 208/2006 (OJ No. L036, 8.2.2006, p25).back

[6] S.I. 2006/1293 (W.127).back

[7] S.I. 1978/32, amended by S.I. 2006/3166 (W.291); there are other amending instruments that are not relevant to this Order.back

[8] 1981 c. 22, as amended by the Animal Health Act 2002 c. 42, S.I. 1992/3293 and S.I. 2003/1734.back

[9] 1998 c.38.back

[10] OJ No L 139, 30.4.04, p55. The revised text of the Regulation is contained in a corrigendum (OJ No L 226, 25.6.04, p22).back

[11] OJ No L 139, 30.4.04, p206. The revised text of the Regulation is contained in a corrigendum (OJ No L 226, 25.6.04, p83).back



ISBN 0 11 091475 9


 © Crown copyright 2006

Prepared 21 December 2006


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