The Foot-and-Mouth Disease (Control of Vaccination) (Wales) Regulations 2006

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply in relation to Wales, transpose those aspects of Council Directive 2003/85/EC on Community measures for the control of foot and mouth disease (“the Directive”) that relate to vaccination against foot and mouth disease (“disease”).

The Foot and Mouth Disease (Wales) Order 2006, which comes into force contemporaneously with these Regulations, and the Animal Health Act (Amendment) Regulations 2005, give effect to the remaining provisions of the Directive.

Part 1 of the Regulations contain introductory and interpretative provisions.

Parts 2 makes provision for a programme of vaccination against disease and Part 3 prescribes general and supplementary provision. In particular Part 2 and 3 provide for the following:

(a) prohibition of vaccination unless under authority of a licence granted by the National Assembly (regulation 8);

(b) factors to be taken into account by the National Assembly in deciding to whether to grant a licence permitting suppressive or protective vaccination (regulation 9);

(c) form of decisions to undertake vaccination programmes (regulation 10);

(d) effect of licences permitting vaccination (regulation 11);

(e) facilitation of vaccination procedures by keepers (regulation 12);

(f) declaration of, and measures applicable within, vaccination zones and vaccination surveillance zones (regulations 13 to 17);

(g) extension of the power to vaccinate in section 16 of the Animal Health Act 1981 (regulation 18);

(h) requirements as to the identification of vaccinated animals including provisions concerning cattle passports, eartags and identification for sale and slaughter (regulations 19 to 22 );

(i) provision for cases where animals (and their carcases) included in vaccination programmes have not been vaccinated (regulations 23 & 24);

(j) Survey and classification of premises (regulation 25);

(k) Duty of local authority to erect signs (regulation 26);

(l) Prohibition on intra-Community trade of vaccinated animals (regulation 27);

(m) Cleansing and disinfection of vehicles used pursuant to the provisions of these Regulations (regulation 28);

(n) Marks applied to animals, animal products, carcases and vehicles under these Regulations (regulation 29);

(o) Access and facilities to be provided by persons entitled to occupation where animals or poultry are prevented from moving from their premises by movement restrictions (regulation 30);

(p) Provision of assistance, records and information to inspectors, offences, powers of inspectors and general powers of enforcement including the application of certain provisions (including enforcement provisions) of the Animal Health Act 1981 to these Regulations (regulations 31 to 42).

These Regulations also revoke the Foot and Mouth Disease (Infected Areas) Vaccination) Order 1972 (S.I. 1972/1509) (insofar as it applies in relation to Wales), and the Foot and Mouth Disease (Prohibition of Vaccination)(Wales) regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/2374) (regulation 43).

A Regulatory Appraisal has been prepared in respect of these Regulations and is available for inspection at the offices of the National Assembly for Wales, Department for Environment, Planning and Countryside, Cathays Park, Crown Buildings, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.