The Cattle Identification Regulations 1998

PART IINTRODUCTION

Title and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Cattle Identification Regulations 1998 and shall come into force on 15th April 1998.

Interpretation and extent

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

• “appropriate Minister” means, in relation to England, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and in relation to Scotland or to Wales, the Secretary of State;

• “calf passport” means a document in such form as may be approved by the appropriate Minister in accordance with Article 6.2 of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2629/97 (laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No. 820/97 as regards eartags, holding registers and passports in the framework of the system for the identification and registration of bovine animals(1)) for the purposes of moving calves under 28 days old;

• “cattle” means bovine animals including the species bison bison and bubalus bubalis;

• “cattle passport” means a document containing the information set out in Article 6.1 of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2629/97 issued by the appropriate Minister and includes a calf passport;

• “cattle tagging Orders” means—

  (a)

  the Bovine Animals (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 1995(2);

  (b)

  the Bovine Animals (Identification, Marking and Breeding Records) Order 1990(3);

  (c)

  the Tuberculosis (England and Wales) Order 1984(4); and

  (d)

  the Tuberculosis (Scotland) Order 1984(5);

• “the Council Regulation” means Council Regulation (EC) No. 820/97 (establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products(6);

• “holding” means any establishment, construction or, in the case of an open-air farm, any place in Great Britain in which cattle are held, kept or handled;

• “inspector” means a person appointed to be an inspector for the purposes of these Regulations by the appropriate Minister or a local authority;

• “keeper” means any person responsible for animals, whether on a permanent or on a temporary basis, including during transportation or at a market;

• “licensed slaughterhouse” means a slaughterhouse licensed under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995(7);

• “local authority” means—

  (a)

  in any part of England where there is, within the meaning of the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994(8), a unitary authority for that local government area, that authority;

  (b)

  in any part of England where there is not a unitary authority—

  (i)

  in a metropolitan district, the council of that district;

  (ii)

  in a non-metropolitan county, the council of that county;

  (iii)

  in each London borough (except in relation to imported animals) the council of that borough; or

  (iv)

  in the City of London, and for all London boroughs in relation to imported animals, the Common Council;

  (c)

  in Scotland, a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994(9);

  (d)

  in Wales, a county or county borough;

• “official veterinary surgeon” means an official veterinary surgeon designated under regulation 8 of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995;

• “valid”, in relation to a cattle passport, means a cattle passport which has been correctly completed and signed in the appropriate place by each keeper of the animal.

(2) These Regulations shall extend to Great Britain.

(3) Any approval, licence or notice issued under these Regulations, the Council Regulation or Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2629/97 shall be in writing, may be made subject to conditions and may be amended or revoked by notice in writing at any time.