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

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PART 5
Control of vaccination

Vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease and administration of hyper-immune serum

33. -(1) No person shall vaccinate an animal against the disease, or administer hyper-immune serum to it, except under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers.

(2) The Scottish Ministers shall grant a licence where a decision is made under Article 50.1 of the Directive that emergency vaccination shall be carried out in Scotland and, in any other case, may decide to grant a licence.

(3) When deciding whether to grant a licence under paragraph (1), the Scottish Ministers shall have regard, in particular, to-
(a) the risk of an outbreak-
(i) in Scotland becoming widespread in the United Kingdom,
(ii) outside Scotland spreading to Scotland with imported susceptible animals, or
(iii) spreading to or from Scotland because of the prevailing meteorological conditions;

(b) any threat from the disease to animals-
(i) in laboratories, zoos, wildlife parks or enclosed areas principally used for shooting, and
(ii) in bodies, institutes or centres where animals are kept for scientific purposes or purposes related to conservation of species or farm animal genetic resources and which have been approved under regulation 9 of the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 9; and

(c) the criteria in Annex X of the Directive.

(4) A licence granted under paragraph (1) may be limited to a particular animal or class of animal, shall require vaccination to be carried out swiftly and in conformity with the rules of hygiene and bio-security so as to avoid the spread of the disease virus, and shall specify-
(a) whether the vaccination licensed is protective or suppressive,
(b) the place or geographical area in which it is to be carried out,
(c) the species and age of the animals to be vaccinated,
(d) the intended duration of the vaccination programme,
(e) the form of the eartags to be affixed, marks to be applied and records to be made under regulation 37, and
(f) such other conditions (if any) as the Scottish Ministers think fit so as to prevent the spread of disease through vaccination.

(5) No licence granted under paragraph (1) shall authorise vaccination in a vaccination surveillance zone declared under regulation 34.

(6) Notwithstanding section 16(1) of the Act, the Scottish Ministers may cause vaccination of animals which do not fall within that sub-section where they are in a vaccination zone declared under regulation 34, and section 16 of the Act shall apply as if such vaccination was carried out in exercise of the power in section 16(1).

(7) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to-
(a) anything done under the authority of a licence granted under article 4 of the Specified Animal Pathogens Order 1998 10; or
(b) administration of a vaccine in accordance with an animal test certificate issued in accordance with section 32 of the Medicines Act 1968 11.

Protective vaccination: declaration of vaccination zones and vaccination surveillance zones

34. -(1) The Scottish Ministers shall declare any part of Scotland in respect of which they have granted a licence for protective vaccination to be a vaccination zone.

(2) A declaration under paragraph (1) shall specify-
(a) the boundaries of the vaccination zone,
(b) the boundaries of a vaccination surveillance zone which shall extend from the vaccination zone for at least 10km, and
(c) such other information (if any) as the Scottish Ministers think necessary to inform those who may be affected by the vaccination programme.

(3) Any premises which are partly inside and partly outside a vaccination zone shall be deemed to be wholly within it.

(4) Any premises which are partly inside and partly outside a vaccination surveillance zone shall be deemed to be wholly within it (except premises which are also partly within a vaccination zone).

(5) The Scottish Ministers may by further declaration reduce the size of a vaccination surveillance zone and such declaration shall-
(a) refer to the declaration creating the zone;
(b) specify the new boundaries of the zone and the date and time at which the boundary change is to take effect; and
(c) be published in such way as the Scottish Ministers thinks fit.

(6) An area shall remain a vaccination zone or a vaccination surveillance zone until the declaration creating it is revoked.

Suppressive vaccination

35. -(1) The Scottish Ministers may license suppressive vaccination to be carried out in a protection zone declared under regulation 28(1).

(2) Where they license suppressive vaccination, the Scottish Ministers shall serve a notice on the occupier of each holding where it is to take place communicating that fact.

Facilitation of vaccination

36. -(1) Any keeper of animals specified in a licence under regulation 33 shall (where required by an officer of the Scottish Ministers or a person acting at the officer's direction)-
(a) state (if required, in writing) the species, ages, and numbers of the animals for which the keeper is responsible;
(b) submit any such animals for vaccination by an officer of the Scottish Ministers or a person acting at the officer's direction, at such time and in such place as required;
(c) give any assistance or information which may reasonably be required for the purposes of vaccination (and in particular comply with any requirements as to the collection, penning and securing of the animals to facilitate vaccination).

(2) Nothing in these Regulations or any licence issued under them shall be interpreted as requiring any person to vaccinate any animal.

Identification of vaccinated animals

37. -(1) Any person vaccinating an animal shall-
(a) identify it immediately after vaccination by affixing an eartag and applying an indelible mark;
(b) make a written record containing at least the following-
(i) the date,
(ii) the place,
(iii) a description of the animal and the details of its eartag and mark,
(iv) the product and dosage administered; and
(c) ensure that an officer of the Scottish Ministers receives a copy of that record.

(2) Eartags, marks and records shall each be in the form stated in the licence granted under regulation 33.

(3) The keeper of any animal issued with a cattle passport under the Cattle Identification Regulations 1998 12 or a registration certificate under the Cattle (Identification of Older Animals)(Scotland) Regulations 2001 13 shall give it to the person carrying out the vaccination and that person shall ensure it is sent to the British Cattle Movement Service with a request to record the vaccination in the passport or certificate and the Service's database.

(4) No person shall intentionally remove an eartag or obscure or erase a mark affixed or applied under this regulation.

(5) Any person who knows or suspects that-
(a) an animal has been-
(i) vaccinated but is not carrying an eartag, or
(ii) specified for vaccination but has not been vaccinated at the time when it should have been; or
(b) a carcase is-
(i) from a vaccinated animal but is not identified as such, or
(ii) from an animal specified for vaccination which has not been vaccinated,

shall immediately notify an inspector.

(6) If the Scottish Ministers suspect that-
(a) an animal has been vaccinated but is not carrying an eartag, or
(b) has been specified for vaccination but has not been vaccinated at the time when it should have been,

they shall arrange for that animal to be vaccinated as soon as is reasonably practicable (but not sooner than 21 days after the date of any suspected vaccination).

(7) If the Scottish Ministers or an inspector know or suspect that-
(a) a carcase is from a vaccinated animal but is not identified as such, or
(b) is from an animal specified for vaccination which has not been vaccinated

it shall nonetheless be deemed to be from a vaccinated animal and they shall ensure that it is marked and dealt with accordingly.

Time phases and measures applicable to the vaccination zone

38. -(1) Phase 1 shall commence on declaration of a vaccination zone.

(2) After 30 days have elapsed since all animals in a vaccination zone specified for vaccination in a licence granted under regulation 33(1) have been vaccinated, the Scottish Ministers may declare the end of phase 1 and the commencement of phase 2 and such declaration shall specify the date and time it is to take effect.

(3) On completion of all measures in regulation 39(2) in every depopulation holding in a vaccination zone, the Scottish Ministers shall declare the end of phase 2 and the commencement of phase 3 and such declaration shall specify the date and time it is to take effect.

(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (3), the Scottish Ministers may, before completion of the measures in regulation 39(2) in every depopulation holding in a vaccination zone, serve a notice on any holding classified as free of disease under regulation 39(1)(b) stating that it shall enter phase 3 and phase 3 shall be deemed to have commenced in respect of that holding on such service.

(5) Subject to regulation 39(2), the provisions of Schedule 2 apply to a vaccination zone without prejudice to any requirements or restrictions applying in any part of it because of a protection zone or a surveillance zone declared under these regulations.

Survey and classification of holdings during phase 2

39. --(1) The Scottish Ministers shall ensure that during phase 2-
(a) a clinical and serological survey of all holdings in the vaccination zone keeping susceptible animals is carried out in accordance with the following method-
(i) all susceptible animals in the vaccination zone are clinically inspected, and
(ii) either-
(aa) testing for infection with the disease virus by an assay for antibodies against non-structural proteins of the disease virus is carried out on a selection of susceptible animals pursuant to a sampling protocol suitable to detect 5% prevalence with at least 95% level of confidence, or
(bb) testing for antibodies against non-structural proteins of the disease virus is carried out on samples from all vaccinated animals and their non-vaccinated offspring; and

(b) each holding in the vaccination zone is classified according to the outcome of the survey and the criteria in Schedule 3 either-
(i) where the holding contained at least one susceptible animal suspected of being infected and where the presence of the disease virus is confirmed, as infected premises (and a declaration shall be made under regulation 13); or
(ii) where the holding contained at least one susceptible animal suspected of being infected but where further testing including all susceptible animals on the holding confirmed the absence of circulating disease virus, as a depopulation holding (and the Scottish Ministers shall serve a notice on the occupier declaring the holding to be a depopulation holding); or
(iii) otherwise, as free of disease (and that classification shall be communicated to the occupier by notice served on the occupier by the Scottish Ministers).

(2) The following measures shall apply to a depopulation holding-
(a) susceptible animals which have tested positive to at least one of the tests in sub-paragraph (1)(a)(ii) shall be slaughtered on the holding in accordance with the written directions of the Scottish Ministers;
(b) other susceptible animals shall be slaughtered in accordance with the written directions of the Scottish Ministers;
(c) the carcases of any susceptible animals slaughtered on the holding shall be disposed of ; and
(d) the holding shall be cleansed and disinfected.

Measures applying in a vaccination surveillance zone

40. -(1) No person shall move any susceptible animal within or out of a vaccination surveillance zone except-
(a) within the premises on which it is kept, or
(b) under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers.

(2) Paragraph (1) applies without prejudice to any requirements or restrictions applying in any part of a vaccination surveillance zone because of a protection zone or a surveillance zone declared under these Regulations.

Restocking following protective vaccination

41. -(1) No person shall restock a holding in the vaccination zone except under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers and-
(a) where it is or has been a depopulation holding, in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (2) below; or
(b) where it is not and has not been a depopulation holding, in accordance with the requirements of either-
(i) paragraphs 1 to 3 of Schedule 10, or
(ii) paragraph (3) below.

(2) The requirements of this paragraph are that the holding shall be restocked in accordance with Schedule 10 every time it is subjected to the measures in regulation 39(2) but-
(a) this paragraph shall not apply to any other restocking of that holding, and
(b) the Scottish Ministers may, by notice served on the occupier of any holding to which this sub-paragraph applies, exempt that holding from the requirements of sub-paragraphs 3(b) to 3(d) of Schedule 10 provided that no infected premises have been declared within 10km of the holding for at least 3 months before the commencement of restocking.

(3) The requirements of this paragraph are that-
(a) an officer of the Scottish Ministers has within the previous 24 hours carried out a clinical examination on every susceptible animal on every holding of origin of an animal to be introduced and has not identified signs of the disease;
(b) no holding of origin of an animal to be introduced is in a protection zone or a surveillance zone; and
(c) every animal to be introduced has been tested for antibodies against the disease after the end of its incubation period with negative results or a serological survey has been completed.

Export of vaccinated animals

42. -(1) No person shall export any vaccinated animal to another Member State or consign any such animal for export there except under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers.

(2) A licence under paragraph (1) may only be granted in accordance with specific measures adopted under Article 64(2) of the Directive.

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Page updated: Monday, August 1, 2005