Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1954

10 Prevention of bee diseases (control of importation)

(1) For the purpose of preventing the spread of pests or diseases among bees, provision may be made by an order under this section for prohibiting the importation of bees into Great Britain—

(a) where they originate in or are consigned from a particular country or part of a country ; or

(b) where they are not accompanied by a certificate, satisfying the requirements of the order, of freedom from infection or exposure to infection ; or

(c) where the importation otherwise fails to comply with the requirements of the order, including in particular any requirements as to the type or construction of the hives or containers used for importing bees.

(2) The Minister or any authorised person may license any importation which would otherwise be prohibited under this section, either unconditionally or subject to conditions imposed by the licence ; and a licence under this subsection may be given on, as well as before, importation.

(3) Any authorised person may examine any bees imported into Great Britain and their combs, if any, and may take samples of them, in order to see if they are free from infection.

(4) Where a consignment of bees imported into Great Britain, or any part of such a consignment, is found to be infected with any pest or disease specified in that behalf by an order under this section, any authorised person may destroy by such means as he thinks fit the consignment (including any combs and any hives or containers) or such part of it as he thinks necessary, or cause it to be so destroyed, and may disinfect or cause to be disinfected by such means as he thinks fit all or any of the hives or containers not so destroyed.

(5) Without prejudice to the last foregoing subsection, where any bees are imported into Great Britain in contravention of this section, any authorised person may destroy the bees, together with their combs (if any) and hives or containers, by such means as he thinks fit, or cause them to be so destroyed, and may do so with or without first allowing an opportunity for them to be re-exported.

(6) No compensation shall be payable in respect of any exercise of the powers conferred by the three last foregoing subsections.

(7) Any person who imports bees into Great Britain in contravention of an order under this section, or who fails to observe any condition imposed by a licence under this section, shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds.

(8) An order under this section may be varied or revoked by a subsequent order thereunder.

(9) Any expenses of the Minister under this section shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament.

(10) The power to make orders under this section shall be exercisable by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Secretary of State jointly, and shall be exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment by resolution of either House of Parliament.

(11) In this section—

(a) " the Minister " means, in relation to England and Wales, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and, in relation to Scotland, the Secretary of State ;

(b) " bees " means honey bees, and includes such bees in any stage of their life cycle;

(c) " authorised person " means a person generally or specially authorised in writing by the Minister.

(12) No limitation on the powers of the Parliament of Northern Ireland imposed by the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, shall apply to preclude that Parliament from enacting provisions corresponding to this section.