The Fresh Meat Export (Hygiene and Inspection) (Scotland) Regulations 1987

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations apply to Scotland only and come into force on 11th June 1987.

The Regulations revoke and re-enact the provisions of the Fresh Meat Export (Hygiene and Inspection) (Scotland) Regulations 1981 and subsequent amending instruments, which implemented in part the provisions of Council Directive No. 64/433/EEC (OJ No. 121, 29.7.1964, p. 2012/64; OJ/SE 1963-64, p. 185) on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat, as amended by Council Directive No. 66/601/EEC (OJ No. 192, 27.10.1966, p. 3302/66; OJ/SE 1965-66, p. 244), Council Directive No. 69/349/EEC (OJ No. L256, 11.10.1969, p. 5; OJ/SE 1969 (II), p. 432), Council Directive No. 83/90/EEC (OJ No. L59, 5.3.1983, p.10) and the Act annexed to the Treaty of Accession to the European Economic Community (Annex I(II)(F)– Cmnd 5179 I). These Regulations in addition implement Council Directive No. 86/587/EEC (OJ No. L399, 2.12.86, p.26).

The Regulations apply to fresh meat of domestic bovine animals (including buffalo), swine, sheep, goats and solipeds. They prescribe conditions which must be satisfied for the production, cutting up, storage and transport of such meat when it is intended for export, or for sale for export, to a Member State of the EEC for human consumption.

In particular, the Regulations –

(a) provide that only premises which are approved by the Secretary of State may be used for the production, cutting up, storage and loading of fresh meat for intra-Community trade, and that such premises must comply with prescribed requirements as to structure and hygiene (regulations 4 to 7 and 10 and Schedules 1 to 4); and

(b) lay down requirements as to slaughter, dressing and cutting practices, ante-and post-mortem inspection, hygiene, health control of cut meat, health marking, certification, storage, wrapping, packing and transport of such meat (regulations 8 to 11 and Schedules 5 to 15).

Apart from the approval, suspension and revocation of approval of premises for intra-Community trade (regulations 4 to 6), which are functions of the Secretary of State, enforcement of the Regulations is the responsibility of local authorities (regulation 17). They are required to provide the necessary supervision and inspection resources at approved premises (regulation 12), for which they may make charges (regulation 13).

The Regulations also make provision for powers of entry by persons authorised by the Secretary of State or local authorities (regulation 14) and concerning offences and penalties (regulation 18).

The Regulations do not affect the application as appropriate to export-approved premises of the provisions of the Slaughter of Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) (Scotland) Regulations 1955, the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 1959, the Food (Meat Inspection) (Scotland) Regulations 1961, the Slaughter of Animals (Stunning Pens) (Scotland) Regulations 1963 or the Slaughterhouse Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 1978, except that they disapply (in regulation 19 of these Regulations) certain provisions of the said Food (Meat Inspection) (Scotland) Regulations 1961.