Livestock and Meat Commission (Levy) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Livestock and Meat Commission (Levy) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 and shall come into operation on 28th February 2003.

Payment and Rates of levy

2.—(1) The following persons, that is to say,

(a) the owner of a bovine animal or sheep which is slaughtered;

(b) the owner of a bovine animal or sheep immediately before it is sent out of Northern Ireland,

shall pay to the Commission a levy in accordance with paragraph (3).

(2) The owner or occupier of the premises where a bovine animal or sheep is slaughtered, shall pay to the Commission a levy in accordance with paragraph (4).

(3) In the case of a person mentioned in paragraph (1) the levy payable shall be–

(a) £1 for a bovine animal; and

(b) 20p for a sheep.

(4) In the case of a person mentioned in paragraph (2) the levy payable shall be–

(a) £1 for a bovine animal; and

(b) 10p for a sheep.

3.  No levy shall be payable under regulation 2(1) in respect of any animal which is imported into Northern Ireland and which, within two days from the time it is imported, is sent out of Northern Ireland, provided that in exceptional circumstances the Department may, on request, extend the said period of two days.

Collection

4.—(1) The Commission may authorise the owner or occupier of any slaughterhouse licensed under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997(1) to collect on its behalf levy payable under regulation 2(1)(a) in respect of any animal slaughtered on those premises.

(2) Where the Commission gives an authorisation to collect a levy under regulation (1) the owner or occupier of the premises in question shall–

(a) collect the levy;

(b) at the end of each calendar month make a return to the Commission identifying the number of bovine animals and the number of sheep on which the levy has been collected, the identity of the owners of those animals and the total amount of levy collected from such owners.

(3) Without prejudice to the requirements of paragraph (2), the owner or occupier of the premises on which the animals were slaughtered shall make a return to the Commission at the end of each calendar month identifying the number of animals slaughtered on those premises and the total amount of levy payable by him under regulation 2(2) in respect of such animals.

(4) The Commission may pay to any person authorised under regulation (1) any reasonable costs incurred by him in connection with the collection of levies.

5.  The following persons, that is to say:–

(a) officers commissioned by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise;

(b) officers of the Department;

(c) persons employed in connection with the supervision of, and admission of livestock to an assembly centre approved by the Department under regulation 12 of the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000(2);

may,

(i) stop and inspect livestock and vehicles carrying livestock;

(ii) require the name and address of any person who has any livestock in his custody, charge or possession and require that name and address to be authenticated; and

(iii) require any person who has any livestock in his custody, charge or possession to state the name and address of the owner, if that person is not the owner of the livestock.

Offences and penalties

6.  Any person who contravenes the requirements of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both.

Revocation

7.  The Livestock Marketing Commission (Levy) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1969(3) are hereby revoked.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on 16th January 2003.

L.S.

David Small

Senior Officer of the

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development