The Poultry Meat (Hygiene) (Amendment) Regulations 1992

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations further amend the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976. In addition to some minor and consequential drafting amendments, the principal changes are —

(1) on and after 1st January 1993 slaughterhouses and cutting premises must be licensed or exempted from the need to be licensed by the Minister (instead of the local authority) (regulations 4 and 5);

(2) the Minister will grant a licence in respect of slaughterhouses and cutting premises if a veterinary officer certifies that the premises comply with the prescribed requirements (regulations 6 and 7);

(3) the Minister may revoke any such licence if the prescribed requirements are no longer complied with (regulation 8);

(4) if the Minister refuses to grant a licence or decides to revoke an existing licence, there is a right of appeal to a Meat Hygiene Appeals Tribunal (regulation 9);

(5) the composition and powers of the Tribunal are set out in regulation 10 and in the Schedule (regulations 10 and 19), the procedural rules in respect of an appeal are prescribed in the Meat Hygiene Appeals Tribunal (Procedure) Regulations 1992;

(6) if the local authority so requests, the Minister will supply copies and details of licences and exemptions (regulation 14);

(7) the local authority shall provide information relating to the execution of their prescribed duties to the Minister at his request and copies of existing licences (regulation 15);

(8) licences granted by the local authority will cease to have effect from 31st December 1992; applications to the Minister for licences to be granted by him can be made now and will take effect from 1st January 1993 (regulation 16);

(9) specified regulations will be executed and enforced by each local authority within its area, one specified regulation will be executed and enforced by the Minister (regulation 17).