The Feed (Hygiene and Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

PART 4Administration and Enforcement Generally

Enforcement

16.  It is the duty of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to execute and enforce the provisions of these Regulations, Regulation 183/2005 and those provisions of Regulation 178/2002 mentioned in regulation 15(2).

Feed business improvement notices

17.—(1) If an authorised officer has reasonable grounds for believing that a feed business operator is failing to comply with specified feed law, he may by a notice served on that person (in these Regulations referred to as a “feed business improvement notice”)—

(a)state the officer’s grounds for believing that the feed business operator is failing to comply with specified feed law;

(b)specify the matters which constitute the feed business operator’s failure to comply;

(c)specify the measures which, in the officer’s opinion, the feed business operator must take in order to secure compliance; and

(d)require the feed business operator to take those measures, or measures which are at least equivalent to them, within such period (not being less than 14 days) as may be specified in the notice.

(2) Any person who fails to comply with a feed business improvement notice is guilty of an offence.

(3) A feed business improvement notice must state the right to appeal under regulation 18 and the appropriate time limit for bringing any such appeal.

Right of appeal against feed business improvement notices

18.—(1) Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of an authorised officer to serve a feed business improvement notice may appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction.

(2) The procedure on an appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction under paragraph (1) shall be by way of notice under Part VII of the Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.

(3) The period within which an appeal under paragraph (1) may be brought shall be—

(a)one month from and including the date on which notice of the decision was served on the person desiring to appeal; or

(b)if it is shorter, the period specified in the notice pursuant to regulation 17(1)(d),

and a notice under Part VII shall be deemed for the purposes of this paragraph to be the bringing of the appeal.

Appeals to County Court

19.  A person who is aggrieved by—

(a)the decision of a court of summary jurisdiction to dismiss an appeal to it under regulation 13(1) or 18(1); or

(b)any decision of such a court to make a feed business prohibition order or a feed business emergency prohibition order,

may appeal to the County Court.

Actions resulting from appeals

20.—(1) On an appeal against a feed business improvement notice the court may cancel or affirm the notice and, if it affirms it, may do so either in its original form or with such modifications as the court may in the circumstances think fit.

(2) Where any period specified in a feed business improvement notice pursuant to regulation 17(1)(d) would otherwise include any day on which an appeal against that notice is pending, that day shall be excluded from that period.

(3) Any appeal shall be regarded as pending for the purposes of paragraph (2) until it is finally disposed of, is withdrawn or is struck out for want of prosecution.

Feed business prohibition orders

21.—(1) If—

(a)a feed business operator is convicted of an offence under specified feed law; and

(b)the court by or before which he is so convicted is satisfied that the health risk condition is fulfilled with respect to the feed business concerned,

the court shall by an order impose the appropriate prohibition.

(2) The health risk condition is fulfilled with respect to any feed business if any of the following involves risk of injury to health (including any impairment, whether permanent or temporary), namely—

(a)the use for the purposes of the business of any process or treatment;

(b)the construction of any premises used for the purposes of the business, or the use for those purposes of any equipment; or

(c)the state or condition of any premises or equipment used for the purposes of the business;

and health means the health of an animal or, through the consumption of the products of such animal, human health.

(3) The appropriate prohibition is—

(a)in a case falling within sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (2), a prohibition on the use of the process or treatment for the purposes of the business;

(b)in a case falling within sub-paragraph (b) of that paragraph, a prohibition on the use of the premises or equipment for the purposes of the business or any other feed business of the same class or description; and

(c)in a case falling within sub-paragraph (c) of that paragraph, a prohibition on the use of the premises or equipment for the purposes of any feed business.

(4) If—

(a)a feed business operator is convicted of an offence under specified feed law; and

(b)the court by or before which he is so convicted thinks it proper to do so in all the circumstances of the case,

the court may, by an order, impose a prohibition on the feed business operator participating in the management of any feed business, or any feed business of a class or description specified in the order.

(5) As soon as practicable after the making of an order under paragraph (1) or (4) (in these Regulations referred to as a “feed business prohibition order”), the enforcement authority shall—

(a)serve a copy of the order on the relevant feed business operator; and

(b)in the case of an order made under paragraph (1), affix a copy of the order in a conspicuous position on such premises used for the purposes of the feed business as they consider appropriate,

and any person who knowingly contravenes such an order is guilty of an offence.

(6) A feed business prohibition order shall cease to have effect—

(a)in the case of an order made under paragraph (1), on the issue by the enforcement authority of a certificate to the effect that it is satisfied that the feed business operator has taken sufficient measures to secure that the health risk condition is no longer fulfilled with respect to the feed business; and

(b)in the case of an order made under paragraph (4), on the giving by the court of a direction to that effect.

(7) The enforcement authority must issue a certificate under sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (6) within three days of its being satisfied as mentioned in that sub-paragraph; and on an application by the feed business operator for such a certificate, the authority must—

(a)determine, as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any event within 14 days, whether or not it is so satisfied; and

(b)if it determines that it is not so satisfied, give notice to the feed business operator of the reasons for that determination.

(8) The court shall give a direction under sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (6) if, on an application by the feed business operator, the court thinks it proper to do so having regard to all the circumstances of the case, including in particular the conduct of the feed business operator since the making of the order; but no such application shall be entertained if it is made—

(a)within six months of the making of the feed business prohibition order; or

(b)within three months of the making by the feed business operator of a previous application for such a direction.

(9) Where a court of summary jurisdiction makes an order under regulation 22(2) with respect to any feed business, paragraph (1) shall apply as if the feed business operator had been convicted by the court of an offence under specified feed law.

(10) Where the commission of an offence by a feed business operator leads to the conviction of another person pursuant to regulation 34(1), paragraph (4) shall apply in relation to that other person as it applies in relation to the feed business operator and any reference in paragraph (5) or (8) to the feed business operator shall be construed accordingly.

Feed business emergency prohibition notices and orders

22.—(1) If an authorised officer of the enforcement authority is satisfied that the health risk condition is fulfilled with respect to any feed business he may by a notice served on the relevant feed business operator (in these Regulations referred to as a “feed business emergency prohibition notice”) impose the appropriate prohibition.

(2) If a court of summary jurisdiction is satisfied, on the application of such an officer, that the health risk condition is fulfilled with respect to any feed business, the court shall, by an order (in these Regulations referred to as a “feed business emergency prohibition order”), impose the appropriate prohibition.

(3) Such an officer shall not apply for a feed business emergency prohibition order unless, at least one day before the date of the application, he has served notice on the relevant feed business operator of his intention to apply for the order.

(4) Paragraphs (2) and (3) of regulation 21 apply for the purposes of this regulation as they apply for the purposes of that regulation, but as if the reference in paragraph (2) to risk of injury to health were a reference to imminent risk of injury.

(5) As soon as practicable after the service of a feed business emergency prohibition notice, an authorised officer of the enforcement authority must affix a copy of the notice in a conspicuous position on such premises used for the purposes of the feed business as he considers appropriate; and any person who knowingly contravenes such a notice shall be guilty of an offence.

(6) As soon as practicable after the making of a feed business emergency prohibition order, an authorised officer of the enforcement authority must—

(a)serve a copy of the order on the relevant feed business operator; and

(b)affix a copy of the order in a conspicuous position on such premises used for the purposes of the feed business as he considers appropriate,

and any person who knowingly contravenes such an order shall be guilty of an offence.

(7) A feed business emergency prohibition notice shall cease to have effect—

(a)if no application for a feed business emergency prohibition order is made within the period of three days beginning with and including the day on which the notice was served, at the end of that period; or

(b)if such an application is so made, on the determination or abandonment of the application.

(8) A feed business emergency prohibition notice or a feed business emergency prohibition order shall cease to have effect on the issue by the enforcement authority of a certificate to the effect that it is satisfied that the feed business operator has taken sufficient measures to secure that the health risk condition is no longer fulfilled with respect to the feed business.

(9) The enforcement authority must issue a certificate under paragraph (8) within three days of being satisfied as mentioned in that paragraph; and on an application by the feed business operator for such a certificate, the authority must—

(a)determine as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any event within 14 days whether or not it is so satisfied; and

(b)if it determines that it is not so satisfied, give notice to the feed business operator of the reasons for that determination.

(10) Where a feed business emergency prohibition notice is served on a feed business operator, the enforcement authority must compensate him in respect of any loss suffered by reason of his complying with the notice unless—

(a)an application for a feed business emergency prohibition order is made within the period of three days beginning with and including the day on which the notice was served; and

(b)the court declares itself satisfied, on the hearing of the application, that the health risk condition was fulfilled with respect to the feed business at the time when the notice was served,

and any disputed question as to the right to or the amount of any compensation payable under this paragraph shall be determined by a single arbitrator appointed, failing agreement between the parties, by the Department and the provisions of the Arbitration Act 1996(1) shall apply accordingly.

Penalties for offences in relation to improvement notices, prohibition orders etc

23.  Anyone guilty of an offence under regulation 17(2), 21(5) or 22(5) or (6) is liable—

(a)on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both; or

(b)on conviction on indictment to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine or both.

Powers of entry for authorised officers

24.—(1) For the purposes of executing and enforcing specified feed law an authorised officer may at all reasonable times, and on producing, if requested to do so, some duly authenticated document showing his authority, enter—

(a)any premises on which he has reasonable cause to believe that feed has been, or is being, manufactured or produced, or is being kept for the purpose of being placed on the market, incorporated in another product or used; or

(b)any premises (not being premises used only as a dwelling) on which he has reasonable cause to believe that there is any feed which the occupier of the premises has in his possession or under his control.

(2) If a lay magistrate, on sworn information in writing, is satisfied that there is reasonable ground for entry into any such premises as are mentioned in paragraph (1), and either—

(a)that admission to the premises has been refused, or a refusal is apprehended, and that notice of the intention to apply for a warrant has been given to the occupier; or

(b)that an application for admission or the giving of such a notice would defeat the object of the entry, or that the case is one of urgency, or that the premises are unoccupied or the occupier temporarily absent,

the lay magistrate may by warrant signed by him authorise the authorised officer to enter the premises, if need be by reasonable force.

(3) Every warrant granted under this regulation shall continue in force for a period of one month.

(4) An authorised officer entering premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, may take with him such other persons and such equipment as may appear to him to be necessary, and on leaving any unoccupied premises which he has entered by virtue of such a warrant, must leave them as effectively secured against unauthorised entry as he found them.

(5) An authorised officer entering premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, has the right to inspect—

(a)any material appearing to him to be feed;

(b)any article appearing to him to be a container or package used or intended to be used to store, wrap or package any feed, or to be a label or advertisement used or intended to be used in connection with feed; or

(c)any vehicle, plant or equipment appearing to him to be used, or intended to be used, in connection with the manufacture, production, storage, transport or use of feed, and any process of manufacture, production, storage, transport or use of feed.

(6) Subject to paragraph (8), an authorised officer entering premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, has the right to take on those premises, in the prescribed manner, a sample of any material appearing to him to be a feed manufactured, produced, placed on the market or intended to be placed on the market or to be material used, or intended to be used, as feed.

(7) Without prejudice to his powers and duties as to the taking of samples in the prescribed manner, an authorised officer may take a sample in a manner other than that prescribed of any material which has been sold for use as feed or which he has reasonable cause to believe to be intended for sale as such.

(8) Where, for the purpose of taking a sample pursuant to paragraph (6) or (7), an authorised officer takes some of it from each of one or more containers, which are exposed for sale by retail, and none of which weighs more than six kilograms, the owner of the container or containers may require the authorised officer to purchase the container or containers on behalf of the enforcement authority.

(9) An authorised officer entering premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, has the right—

(a)to require any person carrying on, or appearing to be carrying on, a feed business, or any person employed in connection with such a business, to produce any record (in whatever form it is held) relating to or arising out of the exercise in the course of that business of any such activity, and which is in his possession or under his control; and

(b)to inspect and take copies of any record, or of any entry in any record produced in pursuance of the preceding sub-paragraph.

(10) An authorised officer exercising the power conferred by paragraph (9) in respect of a record held by means of a computer—

(a)is entitled at any reasonable time to have access to, and inspect and check the operation of, any computer and associated apparatus or material which is or has been, or which it appears is or has been, in use in connection with the record in question;

(b)may require—

(i)the person by whom or on whose behalf the computer is or has been so used, or

(ii)any person having charge of, or otherwise concerned with the operation of, the computer, apparatus or material,

to afford the authorised officer such reasonable assistance as he may require for that purpose; and

(c)may require the record, or an extract from the record, to be produced in a form in which it may be taken away.

(11) Where (in the case of a person carrying on, or appearing to carry on, a business which consists of or includes the manufacture of a compound feeding stuff)—

(a)a requirement is made under paragraph (9)(a) in relation to any feeding stuff which is, or appears to be, intended for a particular nutritional purpose; and

(b)at the time the requirement is made, the record in respect of which it is made has been published and is available in accessible form for public use,

the person of whom the requirement is made shall be deemed to comply with it if, at the time it is made, he supplies the authorised officer making it with correct and adequate details of the publication concerned, and of where a copy of it may be obtained.

(12) An authorised officer entering premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, has the right to seize and detain any record which he has reasonable cause to believe to be a record which may be required as evidence in proceedings under specified feed law.

(13) In this regulation—

“compound feeding stuff” has the meaning given in regulation 2(1) of the Feeding Stuffs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005(2);

“feeding stuff which is intended for a particular nutritional purpose” shall be construed in accordance with the definitions of “feeding stuff intended for a particular nutritional purpose” and “particular nutritional purpose” in regulation 2(1) of the Feeding Stuffs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005;

(14) Nothing in this regulation authorises any person, except with the permission of DARD under the Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981(3), to enter any premises—

(a)on which an animal or bird affected with any disease to which that Order applies is kept; and

(b)which is situated in a place declared under that Order to be infected with such a disease.

Inspection, seizure and detention of suspect feed

25.—(1) Where an authorised officer has inspected or sampled any material under regulation 24, paragraphs (2) to (7) shall apply where, on such an inspection, or upon analysis of samples taken, it appears to him that the material fails to comply with the requirements of specified feed law.

(2) The authorised officer may either—

(a)give notice to the person in charge of the material that, until the notice is withdrawn, the material or any specified portion of it—

(i)is not to be used as feed; and

(ii)either is not to be removed or is not to be removed except to some place specified in the notice; or

(b)seize the material in order to have it dealt with by a lay magistrate,

and any person who knowingly contravenes the requirements of a notice under sub-paragraph (a) is guilty of an offence.

(3) Where the authorised officer exercises the powers conferred by paragraph (2)(a), he must, as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any event within 21 days, determine whether or not he is satisfied that the material complies with the requirements mentioned in paragraph (1) and—

(a)if he is so satisfied, forthwith withdraw the notice;

(b)if he is not so satisfied, proceed to have the matter dealt with by a lay magistrate under paragraph (5).

(4) Where the authorised officer exercises the powers conferred by paragraph 2(b) or takes action under paragraph (3)(b), he must inform the person in charge of the material of his intention to have it dealt with by a lay magistrate and—

(a)any person who might be liable under the provisions of specified feed law to a prosecution in respect of the material shall, if he attends before the lay magistrate by whom the material falls to be dealt with, be entitled to be heard and to call witnesses; and

(b)that lay magistrate may, but need not, be a member of the court before which any person is charged with an offence under those provisions in relation to that material.

(5) If it appears to a lay magistrate, on the basis of such evidence as he considers appropriate in the circumstances, that any material falling to be dealt with by him under this regulation fails to comply with the requirements of specified feed law then he shall condemn the material and order—

(a)the material to be destroyed or to be so disposed of as to prevent it from being used as food for human consumption, or for feed; and

(b)any expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the destruction or disposal to be defrayed by the feed business operator.

(6) If a notice under paragraph (2)(a) is withdrawn, or the lay magistrate by whom any material falls to be dealt with under this regulation refuses to condemn it, the enforcement authority must compensate the owner of the material for any depreciation in its value resulting from the action taken by the authorised officer.

(7) Any disputed question as to the right or the amount of any compensation payable under paragraph (6) shall be determined by a single arbitrator appointed, failing agreement between the parties, by the Department and the provisions of the Arbitration Act 1996 shall apply accordingly.

(8) Anyone found guilty of an offence under paragraph (2) is liable—

(a)on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both; or

(b)on conviction on indictment to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine or both.

Service of notices

26.—(1) Any notice to be given by the enforcement authority under regulation 9, 10, 11, 17, 22 or 25—

(a)must be in writing and signed by an authorised officer acting on behalf of the enforcement authority;

(b)if purporting to bear the signature (which includes a facsimile of a signature by whatever means reproduced) of a person who is expressed to be an authorised officer, shall be deemed, unless the contrary is proven, to have been duly issued by such an authorised officer;

(c)subject to paragraph (2), must be given to the feed business operator or to the person mentioned in regulation 25(2)(a) by—

(i)delivering it to that person;

(ii)by leaving it, or sending it in a prepaid letter addressed to him at his office;

(iii)in the case of an incorporated company or body, by delivering it to their secretary or clerk at their registered or principal office, or by sending it in a prepaid letter addressed to him at that office; or

(iv)in the case of any other person by leaving it or sending it in a prepaid letter addressed to him at his usual or last known residence.

(2) Where it is not practicable after reasonable enquiry to ascertain the name and address of the person on whom the notice should be served, or where the premises in which a feed business is carried on are unoccupied, the notice may be addressed to the “owner” or “occupier” of the premises in which the feed is situated, and delivered to some person on those premises, or if there is no person on the premises to whom it can be delivered, by affixing it or a copy of it to some conspicuous part of the premises.

Offences relating to the exercise of powers by authorised officers

27.—(1) Any person who wilfully obstructs an authorised officer in the exercise of his powers under these Regulations or fails to comply with any requirement lawfully made by him in the exercise of such powers is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both.

(2) Any person not being an authorised officer who purports to act as such under these Regulations is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), if any person discloses to any other person—

(a)any information in relation to any manufacturing process or trade secret which has been obtained by him on premises he has entered by virtue of these Regulations, or

(b)any other information obtained by him in pursuance of these Regulations,

he is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale unless the disclosure was made in and for the purpose of the performance by him or any other person of functions under these Regulations.

(4) Paragraph (3) does not apply to prevent an authorised officer who has taken a sample under regulation 24 from disclosing—

(a)to the manufacturer or to the last seller of the material, information as to the place where and the person from whom the sample was taken;

(b)to that manufacturer or last seller or to any person who had that material on his premises, information as to the results of any analysis of that sample; or

(c)any information which it is necessary to disclose in order to prevent the occurrence of a serious risk to human or animal health or to the environment.

Liability for expenditure

28.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) any sums due to the enforcement authority by virtue of Article 54(5) (action in the case of non-compliance) of Regulation 882/2004 must be paid by the feed business operator to the authority on demand.

(2) This regulation does not apply in relation to Article 54(2)(g), (measures referred to in Article 19 on consignments from third countries), of Regulation 882/2004.

Application of various provisions of the Feeding Stuffs (Sampling and Analysis) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999

29.—(1) The following provisions of the Feeding Stuffs (Sampling and Analysis) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999(4) apply, subject to the modifications specified in paragraph (2), for the purposes of these Regulations as they apply in relation to sampling and analysis under those Regulations—

(a)regulation 2 (prescribed amount for the purposes of the definition of the sampled portion);

(b)regulation 3 (manner of taking, preparing, marking, sealing and fastening of samples);

(c)regulation 4 (methods of sending part of a sample);

(d)regulation 5 (application of methods of analysis);

(e)regulation 6 (form of certificate of analysis);

(f)regulation 7 (period within which analysis of the oil content of a feeding stuff must be carried out);

(g)Schedule 1 (manner of taking, preparing, marking, sealing and fastening of samples);

(h)Schedule 2 (methods of analysis);

(i)Schedule 3 (form of certificate of analysis)

(2) The Feeding Stuffs (Sampling and Analysis) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 as they apply in relation to Northern Ireland shall be read as if in those Regulations—

(a)any reference to “feeding stuffs” were a reference to “feed”;

(b)any reference to “ inspector” were a reference to “authorised officer”;

(c)for the expression “analysed pursuant to the Act” there were substituted “analysed for the purposes of carrying out official controls and the enforcement of specified feed law as that term is defined in the Feed (Hygiene and Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005”;

(d)in regulation 4, for the expression “in pursuance of subsection (1)(b) or (2) of section 77 of the Act” there were substituted “under regulation 30(1)(b) and (c) of the Feed (Hygiene and Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005”;

(e)in regulation 6, for the expression “pursuant to section 77(4) of the Act” there were substituted “under regulation 30(4) of the Feed (Hygiene and Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005”;

(f)in Schedule 1, in paragraph 5(1) of Part II for the expression “in accordance with section 76(7) of the Act as that section is modified by regulation 10 of the Feeding Stuffs (Enforcement) Regulations 1999” there were substituted “under regulation 24(6) of the Feed (Hygiene and Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005”;

(g)in Schedule 3—

(i)in Part I after the expression “Part IV of the Agriculture Act 1970” there were inserted “ or of the Feed (Hygiene and Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005”;

(ii)in Part II in note (1) after the expression “the Agriculture Act 1970” there were added “or the Feed (Hygiene and Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005”.

Procedure relating to samples for analysis

30.—(1) Where in accordance with regulation 24(6) an authorised officer obtains a sample and decides to have it analysed for the purpose of ascertaining whether there is or has been any contravention of specified feed law, he must divide the sample into three parts of as near as may be equal size and—

(a)cause each part to be marked, sealed and fastened in the prescribed manner;

(b)send one part for analysis—

(i)to the agricultural analyst of the enforcement authority; or

(ii)where the purpose of the analysis is to determine the levels of dioxins or dioxin-like PCBs in the sample, to a point 4 compliant laboratory;

(c)send another part to the person on whose premises the material was sampled or to his agent; and

(d)retain and preserve the remaining part as an officially sealed reference sample.

(2) If the person who manufactured any material sampled under these Regulations is not a person to whom part of the sample should be sent under paragraph (1), that paragraph shall have effect as if for the reference to three parts there were substituted a reference to four parts, and the authorised officer must within fourteen days from and including the date of sampling send the fourth part to the manufacturer, unless he does not know and is unable to ascertain after making reasonable enquiries the identity of the manufacturer or his address in the United Kingdom.

(3) The part of the sample sent to the agricultural analyst or as the case may be to the point 4 compliant laboratory must be accompanied by a statement signed by the authorised officer confirming that the sample was taken in the manner prescribed by Part II of Schedule 1 to the Feeding Stuffs (Sampling and Analysis) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999.

(4) The agricultural analyst or as the case may be the point 4 compliant laboratory shall analyse the part of the sample sent to him under paragraph (1), and send a certificate of analysis to the authorised officer, who must send a copy to—

(a)the person on whose premises the material was sampled or his agent, and

(b)if a part of the sample was sent under paragraph (2), to the person to whom that part was sent.

(5) If the agricultural analyst to whom the sample was sent under paragraph (1)(b)(i) determines that an effective analysis of the sample cannot be performed by him or under his direction he shall send it to another agricultural analyst, together with any documents received by him with the sample, and paragraph (4) shall then apply as if the sample had originally been sent to that other analyst.

Secondary analysis by the Chief Agricultural Analyst

31.—(1) Where a part of a sample sent under regulation 30(1)(b) has been analysed and—

(a)proceedings are intended to be or have been commenced against a person for an offence under specified feed law; and

(b)the prosecution intends to adduce evidence of the result of that part of the sample,

paragraphs (2) to (6) shall apply.

(2) The authorised officer—

(a)may of his own volition;

(b)shall if requested by the prosecutor (if a person other than the authorised officer); or

(c)shall (subject to paragraph (5)) if requested by the defendant,

send the retained part of the sample to the Chief Agricultural Analyst for analysis.

(3) The Chief Agricultural Analyst shall analyse in the prescribed manner the part of the sample sent to him under paragraph (2) and shall send to the authorised officer a certificate of the analysis which shall be—

(a)completed in the form set out in Part I of Schedule 3 to the Feeding Stuffs (Sampling and Analysis) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 and in accordance with the notes set out in Part II of Schedule 3 to those Regulations; and

(b)signed by the Chief Agricultural Analyst or by a person authorised by him to sign.

(4) The authorised officer shall immediately on receipt supply the prosecutor (if a person other than the authorised officer) and the defendant with a copy of the Chief Agricultural Analyst’s certificate of analysis.

(5) Where a request is made under paragraph (2)(c) the authorised officer may give notice in writing to the defendant requesting payment of a fee specified in the notice in respect of the functions mentioned in paragraph (3), and if the specified fee does not exceed either—

(a)the cost of performing those functions; or

(b)the appropriate fee for the performance of any similar function under section 78 of the Act(5),

the authorised officer may in the absence of agreement by the defendant to pay the fee refuse to comply with the request made under paragraph (2)(c).

(6) In this regulation—

(a)“defendant” includes a prospective defendant; and

(b)“the appropriate fee” means such a fee as may be fixed in accordance with the provisions of section 78(10) of the Act.

Additional provisions relating to sampling and analysis

32.—(1) Any person who—

(a)tampers with any material so as to procure that any sample of it taken or submitted for analysis under these Regulations does not correctly represent the material; or

(b)tampers or interferes with any sample taken or submitted for analysis under these Regulations,

is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level five on the standard scale or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or both.

(2) Any analysis required to be made under regulation 30(4) or 31(3) may be performed by any person acting under the direction of the agricultural analyst, the analyst at the point 4 compliant laboratory or the Chief Agricultural Analyst as the case may be.

(3) A certificate of analysis by an agricultural analyst, an analyst at a point 4 compliant laboratory or the Chief Agricultural Analyst shall in any legal proceedings be received as evidence of the facts stated in the certificate if the party against whom it is to be given in evidence—

(a)has been served with a copy of it not less than twenty-one days before the hearing; and

(b)has not, before the seventh day preceding the hearing, served on the other party a notice requiring the attendance of the person who made the analysis.

(4) Any document purporting to be a certificate of analysis for the purposes of paragraph (3) shall be deemed to be such a certificate unless the contrary is proved.

Protection of authorised officers acting in good faith

33.—(1) An authorised officer is not personally liable in respect of any act done by him—

(a)in the execution or purported execution of these Regulations; and

(b)within the scope of his employment,

if he did that act in the honest belief that his duty under these Regulations required or entitled him to do it.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed as relieving the enforcement authority of any liability in respect of the acts of its officers.

(3) Where an action has been brought against an authorised officer in respect of an act done by him—

(a)in the execution or purported execution of these Regulations; but

(b)outside the scope of his employment,

the authority may indemnify him against the whole or a part of any damages which he has been ordered to pay or any costs which he may have incurred if it is satisfied that he honestly believed that the act complained of was within the scope of his employment.

(4) An agricultural analyst is to be treated for the purposes of this regulation as being an authorised officer, whether or not his appointment is a whole-time one.

Defences of fault of another person, mistake etc and export

34.—(1) Where the commission by any person of an offence under these Regulations is due to the act or default of some other person, that other person is guilty of the offence and may be accused and convicted of the offence whether or not proceedings are taken against the first-mentioned person.

(2) In any proceedings for an offence under these Regulations it shall, subject to paragraph (3), be a defence to prove—

(a)that the commission of the offence was due to a mistake, or to reliance on information supplied to him, or to the act or default of another person, or to an accident or some other cause beyond his control; and

(b)that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of such an offence by himself or any person under his control.

(3) If in any case the defence provided by paragraph (2) involves the allegation that the commission of the offence was due to the act or default of another person or to reliance on information supplied by another person, the person accused shall not, without leave of the court, be entitled to rely on that defence unless—

(a)at least seven clear days before the hearing; and

(b)where he has previously appeared before a court in connection with the alleged offence, within one month of his first such appearance,

he has served on the prosecutor a notice giving such information as he may have to identify or assist in identifying that other person.

(4) In any proceedings in which it alleged that a material has contravened or failed to comply with the requirements of specified feed law it is a defence for the person accused to prove that the material in respect of which the offence was alleged to have been committed—

(a)was feed to which Article 25 of Regulation 183/2005 applies; and

(b)could lawfully be exported in accordance with the requirements of Article 12 of Regulation 178/2002.

Institution of and time limit for prosecutions

35.—(1) Without prejudice to any enactment relating to the place where proceedings may be taken, proceedings for an offence under these Regulations may be taken in the place where the person accused resides or carries on business.

(2) No prosecution for an offence under these Regulations may be begun after the expiry of—

(a)three years from the commission of the offence; or

(b)one year from its discovery by the prosecutor,

whichever is the earlier.

Revocations

36.  The Regulations or parts thereof listed in Schedule 3 to these Regulations are revoked in so far as they apply in relation to Northern Ireland.