Bovine Embryo Collection, Production and Transplantation Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Part I Introductory

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Bovine Embryo Collection, Production and Transplantation Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 and shall come into operation on 2nd October 1996.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

“approved veterinary surgeon” means a veterinary surgeon approved by the Department for the purposes of these Regulations;

“bovine embryo collection team” means a group of technicians who collect, process and store embryos under the supervision of a team veterinarian;

“bovine embryo production team” means a group of technicians who produce and store embryos under the supervision of a team veterinarian;

“bovine embryo transplantation team” means a group of technicians who transplant embryos under the supervision of a team veterinarian;

“bull” means any male bovine animal which is capable of reproduction;

“collection” in relation to any embryo means the collection of that embryo from a donor cow;

“cow” means any female bovine animal which is capable of reproduction;

“the Directive” means Council Directive 89/556/EEC on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in and importation from third countries of embryos of domestic animals of the bovine species(1);

“donor sire” in relation to any embryo means the bovine animal from which the semen used to conceive the embryo was collected;

“EEA State” means any state which is a contracting party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area(2) signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993;

“embryo” has the same meaning as in the Directive;

“intra-Area trade” means export to any EEA State, other than the United Kingdom;

“processed semen” means semen which has been processed by means of—

(a)

dilution;

(b)

the addition of any substance which is calculated to prolong its natural life;

(c)

the addition of any antibiotic or any antimicrobial substance for the purpose of promoting and safeguarding animal health;

(d)

packaging it into straws;

(e)

freezing; and

(f)

storing it after freezing in a quarantine storage depot for 30 days, or such other period as the Department may direct in writing; or

by means of one or more of the processes listed at (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this definition;

“processing” in relation to any embryo means the examination, washing, treating and placing in identified and sterile containers of that embryo;

“raw semen” means semen which is not processed;

“team veterinarian” means a veterinary surgeon who is responsible for supervising the activities of a bovine embryo collection, a bovine embryo production or a bovine embryo transplantation team, as the case may be;

“transplantation” means the transplantation into a cow of an embryo which was collected from another cow, or produced in vitro, as the case may be;

“veterinary prohibition or quarantine measures” means measures imposed by the Department for the purpose of controlling or eradicating an outbreak of disease in bovine animals; and

“veterinary surgeon” means a veterinary surgeon (or veterinary practitioner) registered or recognised under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966(3).

(2) In relation to any embryo “the donor cow” means the cow from which it is collected and “the recipient cow” means the cow into which it is transplanted.

Licences

3.—(1) Any licence granted under these Regulations—

(a) shall be in writing;

(b) may be granted subject to conditions; and

(c) may be modified or suspended by notice in writing given to the holder thereof at any time.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1)(c) any licence granted under these Regulations may, in particular, be granted subject to the condition that any premises or equipment to which it relates may be subject to inspection by the Department of such frequency as may be specified in the licence.

(3) Where a bovine embryo collection team, production team or transplantation team is licensed for a particular purpose under these Regulations it shall be given a distinguishing number in respect of each such purpose for which it is licensed.

(4) An application for a licence for a bovine embryo collection team, production team or transplantation team, or for any facilities used by such a team, or, for the storage of embryos, shall be made in writing to the Department and shall be signed by the team veterinarian or, in the case of storage facilities, by the person in charge thereof.

Application

4.—(1) The provisions of these Regulations relating to the collection, production or storage of embryos shall not apply to embryos produced for the purposes of research carried out in accordance with the conditions of a licence issued under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986(4).

(2) These Regulations (other than Regulations 15 and 16) shall not apply in relation to embryos derived by transfer of nuclei.

(1)

O.J. No. L302, 19.10.89, p. 1 as amended by Council Directive 90/425/EEC (O.J. No. L224, 18.8.90, p. 29), Council Directive 93/52/EEC (O.J. No. L175, 19.7.93, p. 21) and Commission Decision 94/113/EEC (O.J. No. L53, 24.2.94, p. 23)

(2)

O.J. No. L1, 3.1.94, p. 1

(3)

1966 c. 36

(4)

1986 c. 14