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CONSULTATION ON DRAFT FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2005

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PART 3
Measures on confirmation of disease

Slaughter of animals

19. - (1) Subject to regulation 20, where disease is confirmed on a holding, the Scottish Ministers shall cause to be slaughtered in such a way as to minimise the dispersal of disease virus all animals on the holding other than non-susceptible animals which the Scottish Ministers consider are capable of being isolated, effectively cleansed and disinfected, and which are individually identifiable so as to allow the control of their movement.

(2) Compensation shall be payable for any animal slaughtered under paragraph (1) above as if that animal had been slaughtered under the powers conferred by Schedule 3 paragraph 3(2) of the 1981 Act.

Exemption from slaughter for certain susceptible animals

20. Where the Scottish Ministers consider that the disease virus threatens to infect susceptible animals in a laboratory, zoo, wildlife park or fenced area, or in bodies, institutes or centres approved in accordance with Article 13(2) of Directive 92/95/EEC, and where animals are kept for scientific purposes or purposes related to conservation of species or farm animal genetic resources, the Scottish Ministers may, on the advice of the Chief Veterinary Officer ( UK), make a declaration exempting those animals from slaughter under regulation 18 or 19 provided that they are satisfied that -

(1) the animal health status of other Member states will not be endangered as a result; and

(2) all necessary measures are in place to prevent any risk of spreading the disease virus.

Notice of intention to slaughter animals

21. Before causing the slaughter of animals under regulation 18 or 19, the Scottish Ministers shall give notice of their intention to cause such slaughter-
(a) to the occupier of the premises where the animals are kept, or
(b) where the animals are in transit, to the person who appear to be in charge of them.

Sampling and clinical examination of susceptible animals before slaughter

22. Where the Scottish Ministers give notice of their intention to cause slaughter of susceptible animals under regulation 18 or 19, they shall ensure that, taking account of the advice of the National Expert Epidemiological Group, any sampling and clinical examination they consider necessary to carry out the veterinary inquiry in regulation 13 has been undertaken before slaughter.

Place of slaughter

23. -(1) This regulation applies where the Scottish Ministers give notice under regulation 21 of their intention to cause slaughter of animals.

(2) Where the animals to be slaughtered are on premises, no person shall move any susceptible animal from those premises and slaughter shall take place there without delay except where-
(a) in the opinion of the Scottish Ministers exceptional circumstances exist which would make slaughter there an unsatisfactory method of disease control, or
(b) the premises are a slaughterhouse or border inspection post, in which cases the Scottish Ministers may direct that slaughter be carried out at another place.

(3) Where the animals to be slaughtered are in transit, they shall be transported to another place at the direction of the Scottish Ministers as soon as is reasonably practicable and before slaughter.

(4) In directing transport to another place under this regulation the Scottish Ministers shall grant a licence authorising movement of the animals, persons and vehicles necessary for that action under such conditions as they think fit to minimise the risk of spread of disease.

Slaughter: control of carcases

24. -(1) This regulation shall apply to premises where the Scottish Ministers have caused slaughter under regulation 18 or 19.

(2) No person shall move the carcase of any animal from premises to which this regulation applies, except for disposal, and that under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers.

Slaughter: control of faecal material

25. -(1) This regulation shall apply where the Scottish Ministers have caused slaughter under regulation 18 or 19.

(2) No person shall move any dung, manure, slurry or litter of susceptible animals from premises to which this regulation applies except-
(a) for disposal and under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers issued following consultation with the Chief Veterinary Officer and specifying a manner of disposal such as to ensure the destruction of any disease virus (including being processed as high risk material under Regulation ( EC) No 1774/2002 8 in such a way as to avoid the risk of spread of the disease virus), or
(b) in the case of material from a slaughterhouse, border inspection post or means of transport, following disinfection, for treatment of such material in accordance with point 5 of Section II in Part A of Chapter III of Annex VIII to Regulation ( EC) No. 1774/2002 and under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers.

Slaughter: isolation of things liable to spread disease

26. -(1) This regulation shall apply to the occupier of any holding where the Scottish Ministers have caused slaughter under regulation 18 or 19.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) a person to whom this regulation applies shall isolate all stocks of milk, milk products, meat, meat products, carcases, hides and skins, wool, semen, embryos, ova, slurry, manure, animal feed and litter on the premises until-
(a) the Scottish Ministers certify that the items concerned are free of contamination, or
(b) such items have been treated in accordance with the directions of an inspector and the standing instructions of the Chief Veterinary Officer in such a manner as to ensure the destruction of any disease virus, or
(c) such items have been treated in accordance with Regulation ( EC) No. 1774/2002.

(3) No item shall be removed from the holding for the purposes of being treated in accordance with paragraph (2)(b) or (c), except in accordance with the conditions of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers authorising such item to be removed and treated in that way.

(4) Paragraph (2) shall not apply to milk on a free unit where this is authorised by a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers and such licence shall contain terms requiring that-
(a) where it is for human consumption, milk is subjected to one of the treatments in paragraph 14 of Schedule 4; or
(b) where it is not for human consumption, milk is subjected to one of the treatments in paragraph 15 of Schedule 4.

Slaughter: cleansing and disinfection

27. -(1) The Scottish Ministers shall serve a notice on the occupier of any holding to which regulation 23 applies requiring the occupier to cleanse and disinfect it in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) The occupier of any holding to which this paragraph applies shall, after disposal of all carcases in accordance with regulation 24, and certification, treatment or removal of the items referred to in regulation 26(2), ensure that-
(a) all buildings, parts of the holding and vehicles used by susceptible animals and any other thing or place on the holding which may be contaminated are cleansed and disinfected in accordance with Schedule 1; and
(b) where there is reasonable suspicion that any part of the holding normally used by humans to the exclusion of animals (including a dwelling) is contaminated with disease virus, that part of the holding is disinfected in accordance with Schedule 1.

(3) The occupier of a slaughterhouse, border inspection post or means of transport where the Scottish Ministers have caused slaughter under regulation 18 or 19 shall, after the disposal of all carcases in accordance with regulation 24 and, if regulation 25(2)(a) applies, removal for disposal of the items referred to in that paragraph, ensure that every building and place, and any equipment, vehicle and any other thing liable to spread disease on the premises, or any means of transport, are cleansed and disinfected in accordance with Schedule 1.

Declaration of protection and surveillance zones

28. -(1) The Scottish Ministers shall, on confirmation of the disease on a holding in Scotland, declare a protection zone and a surveillance zone in such part of Scotland as they think fit.

(2) The Scottish Ministers may, on confirmation by the Chief Veterinary Officer of the disease-
(a) at a slaughterhouse or border inspection post in Scotland, or
(b) at premises in England, Wales or Northern Ireland

declare a protection zone and a surveillance zone in such part of Scotland as they think fit.

(3) A declaration under paragraph (1) or (2) shall designate-
(a) the extent of the protection zone which shall be an area with a minimum radius of 3 kilometres centred on infected premises; and
(b) the extent of the surveillance zone which shall be an area with a minimum radius of 10 kilometres centred on the same infected premises.

(4) The Scottish Ministers may, if they consider necessary, review the extent of any protection or surveillance zone declared under paragraph (1) or (2).

(5) In determining the geographical extent of a protection zone and a surveillance zone, the Scottish Ministers shall take into account administrative boundaries, natural barriers, supervision facilities and information as to the probable dispersion of the disease virus by air or other means.

(6) Any premises which are partly inside and partly outside a protection zone shall be deemed to be wholly inside that zone.

(7) Any premises which are partly inside and partly outside a surveillance zone shall be deemed to be wholly inside that zone (except premises which are also partly inside a protection zone).

(8) Any protection zone or surveillance zone is an infected area for the purposes of section 17 of the Act.

(9) The measures in Parts 1 and 2 of Schedule 5 apply in respect of a protection zone and those in Parts 1 and 3 of Schedule 5 apply in respect of a surveillance zone.

(10) The Scottish Ministers may declare that any other measure they think fit so as to prevent the spread of disease shall apply in respect of the whole or any part of any protection or surveillance zone and any such measure shall then apply in respect of that protection or surveillance zone or that part of it.

(11) The Scottish Ministers shall ensure that signs marking the boundaries of protection and surveillance zones are erected in a conspicuous position on roads, footpaths and rights of way entering those zones.

Termination of protection and surveillance zones

29. -(1) The Scottish Ministers may, where they are satisfied that the conditions in paragraph (2) are met, declare the termination of a protection zone.

(2) The conditions for termination of a protection zone are-
(a) at least 15 days have elapsed since completion of any preliminary cleansing and disinfection measures required by regulations 5 and 27 and Part 2 of Schedule 1 in that protection zone; and
(b) a survey of all susceptible animals to substantiate the absence of infection has been carried out on behalf of the Scottish Ministers in that protection zone with negative results.

(3) On termination of any protection zone, the area within its boundaries shall become part of the associated surveillance zone.

(4) The Scottish Ministers may, where they are satisfied that the conditions in paragraph (5) are met, declare the termination of a surveillance zone.

(5) The conditions for termination of a surveillance zone are-
(a) at least 30 days have elapsed since completion of any cleansing and disinfection measures required by regulation 25 in the associated protection zone; and
(b) its associated protection zone has been terminated; and
(c) a survey of susceptible animals to substantiate the absence of infection has been carried out since the termination of the protection zone on behalf of the Scottish Ministers in that surveillance zone with negative results.

(6) A declaration under this regulation shall refer to the declaration creating the protection and surveillance zones and specify the date and time the protection zone or surveillance zone is to terminate.

Declaration of restricted zone

30. -(1) The Scottish Ministers shall declare such part of Scotland (if any) as they think fit to be a restricted zone -
(a) where, following a thorough epidemiological assessment, the Scottish Ministers, having consulted the Chief Veterinary Officer, are of the opinion that, despite the measures already taken, the disease appears to be spreading; or
(b) when emergency vaccination is implemented in the United Kingdom or any part thereof.

(2) Where paragraph 1(b) applies, the restricted zone shall cover at least the vaccination zone.

(3) A restricted zone shall remain in effect until-
(a) such date as may be stated in the declaration; or
(b) it is removed by further declaration of the Scottish Ministers.

(4) Any premises which are partly inside and partly outside a restricted zone shall be deemed to be wholly inside that zone except premises which are also partly inside-
(a) a temporary control zone;
(b) a supplementary movement control zone;
(c) a protection zone;
(d) a surveillance zone;
(e) a vaccination zone;
(f) a vaccination surveillance zone; or
(g) a wild animal infected area.

(5) The measures in Schedule 6 of these Regulations apply to a restricted zone but without prejudice to any requirements or restriction applying in any part of it by virtue of the declaration of a zone listed in paragraph (4).

(6) The Scottish Ministers may declare that any other measure they think fit so as to prevent the spread of disease applies in respect of the whole or any part of any restricted zone and any such measure shall then apply in respect of that restricted zone or that part of it.

Confirmation of the disease in wild animals and declaration of a wild animal infected area

31. -(1) The Scottish Ministers shall, on confirmation of the disease in any wild animal, declare such part of Scotland as they think fit to be a wild animal infected area.

(2) A wild animal infected area shall remain in effect until-
(a) such date as may be stated in the declaration; or
(b) it is removed by further declaration of the Scottish Ministers.

(3) Any premises which are partly inside and partly outside a wild animal infected area shall be deemed to be wholly inside that area.

(4) The measures in Schedule 7 of these regulations apply in a wild animal infected area but without prejudice to any measures applying in any part of it by virtue of the declaration of -
(i) a protection zone,
(ii) a surveillance zone,
(iii) a vaccination zone, or
(iv) a vaccination surveillance zone.

(5) The Scottish Ministers may declare that any other measure they think fit so as to prevent the spread of disease applies in respect of the whole or any part of any wild animal infected area and any such measure shall then apply in respect of that wild animal infected area or part of it.

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Page updated: Monday, August 1, 2005