Agriculture Act 1970

4Functions of Authority as to market intelligence

(1)The Authority may—

(a)collect, collate or prepare information or estimates with respect to—

(i)prices, supply, demand and other market conditions (whether actual or prospective) relating to eggs or egg products, including imported eggs and imported egg products; and

(ii)activities ancillary to the production of eggs, being activities comprised in the hatching or rearing of domestic fowls or the disposal of domestic fowls at end of lay ; and

(b)subject to section 21 of this Act, publish or disseminate any such information or estimates, and any other information compiled, or estimates prepared, in the course of the performance of their functions under this Part of this Act;

and in publishing or disseminating any such information or estimates the Authority may include recommendations as to prices (other than retail prices) which would in their opinion be appropriate in selling eggs otherwise than by retail having regard to any prices specified in the information or estimates.

(2)If the Authority consider it desirable for the purpose of their functions under subsection (1) of this section, they may prepare and submit to the Ministers a scheme for requiring persons of such classes as may be specified in the scheme who are engaged by way of business in activities comprised in the production, marketing or distribution of eggs or egg products, or in activities ancillary to the production of eggs and comprised in the hatching or rearing of domestic fowls, to register with the Authority in accordance with the requirements of the scheme and to comply with any requirements in the scheme regarding the supply to the Authority of information as to the quantities and prices of eggs purchased by those persons from producers or sold by those persons otherwise than by retail, as to the numbers of domestic fowls hatched, reared or disposed of at end of lay by those persons in the course of activities ancillary to the production of eggs, and as to the prices at which any such fowls have been sold by those persons, and any such scheme may—

(a)vary or revoke any scheme previously brought into force under this subsection; and

(b)contain such supplemental, incidental or transitional provisions as appear to the Authority to be expedient, including in particular provision—

(i)conferring exemptions from requirements of the scheme;

(ii)for persons contravening or failing to comply with the requirements of the scheme to be guilty of an offence against the scheme ; and

(iii)for a person guilty of such an offence to be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding a specified amount, being an amount not exceeding £100;

and if the Ministers are satisfied that it is desirable that any such scheme submitted to them should be brought into force, they may bring it into force by order.

(3)The Ministers may by order revoke any scheme brought into force under subsection (2) of this section if it appears to them, after consultation with the Authority, that the scheme is not serving the purposes for which it was made or that the continued operation of the scheme would be contrary to the public interest; and any such order may contain such supplemental, incidental or transitional provisions as appear to the Ministers to be expedient.

(4)Any order under subsection (2) or (3) of this section may revoke any order previously made under the said subsection (2).