Anthrax Prevention Act 1919

1919 CHAPTER 23

An Act to control the importation of goods infected or likely to be infected with Anthrax, and to provide for the disinfection of any such goods.

[22nd July 1919]

Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :

1 Power to prohibit the importation of goods infected with anthrax.

(1) His Majesty may by Order in Council make provision for preventing the importation into the United Kingdom, either absolutely or except at any specified ports and subject to any specified conditions as to disinfection and otherwise, of goods infected, or likely to be infected, with anthrax (in this Act referred to as " infected goods ").

(2) An Order under this section may contain a declaration that goods of any specified class which are of any specified origin, or are exported from or through any specified country or place, are goods likely to be infected with anthrax, and any such declaration shall be conclusive for all purposes.

(3) Any Order made under this section may be revoked or varied by any subsequent Order.

(4) An Order in Council under this Act may apply, as respects any goods specified in the Order, any of the provisions (including penal provisions) of the [39 & 40 Vict. c. 36.] Customs (Consolidation) Act, 1876, or any Act amending or extending that Act, with respect to goods whereof the importation is prohibited under those Acts, with such modifications as appear necessary or expedient, and in particular with the substitution of Secretary of State for the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, and of persons appointed by the Secretary of State for officers of Customs and Excise.

(5) In this section the expression " specified " means specified in an Order made under this section.

2 Provision as to disinfection of infected goods.

(1) A Secretary of State may provide, maintain, and carry on, or arrange for the provision, maintenance, or carrying on, at such ports or other places in the United Kingdom, as he thinks proper, the necessary works for the disinfection of infected goods, and may make rules providing for the payment by importers of infected goods of fees in respect of the disinfection thereof, and in respect of services rendered in connection with such disinfection, and for the recovery of such payments.

(2) Any expenses incurred by the Secretary of State in carrying this Act into effect, up to such an amount as the Treasury may approve, shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament.

3 Short title.

This Act may be cited as the Anthrax Prevention Act, 1919.